Mexico City Fun Surprise: Zombie Walk
One of the things I love best about urban travel are the surprises. You never know what you will find around the next corner or down a back alley. One of the best surprises I have ever had was in Mexico City in 2015 when my Mom and I got off the subway mid-afternoon after a day of exploring. And instead of what we thought would be a short walk back to the youth hostel where we were staying, we emerged from the underground station to find ourselves in the midst of the City’s annual Zombie Walk.
Being mid-October, I thought thought parade was part of the City’s extensive Festival of Dead celebrations. (Not a big fan of Zombie or Vampire movies, I had no idea there were Zombie Walks. It was only later that I realized we had experienced one.
Travel Tip: October is a great time to visit Mexico City. Weather is great and the Day of The Dead decorations and events start several weeks in advance.
Zombie Walk 101
Depending on the source, the first Zombie Walk took place in Milwaukee in 2000 or Sacramento in 2001. Since then, Zombie Walks have become popular in cities around the world, from New York City to Frankfurt, from Singapore to Bogota. Since then, there has been a competition amongst Zombie lovers to see what city can attract the most Zombie walkers, with Curitiba, Brazil being the current winner with 25,000+ participants.
I have no idea how many people were in the Mexico City Zombie Walk in 2015, but it was literally a sea of people walking from the Monument to the Revolution (one of our favourite places to hang out) along the Avenue de la Republica heading and Avenue Juarez (City Centre pedestrian mall) to Plaza del Zocalo, a distance of 2.5 kilometers.
At first, we were in a bit of a shock - as not only were the costumes and make-up very, but young children were in the middle of the walk, smiling, laughing and enjoying the pageantry. Strangely, I don’t recall seeing or hearing any child crying. After a few minutes of “zombie shock” I relaxed and enjoyed the fun and fantasy of the locals. What I really loved was how it seemed everyone loved having their picture taken. No hesitation; no camera shyness! Not a single person said no. (There is an amazing photo if you read to the end).
The Walk is literally a sea of people moving along the street.
Look carefully and you can see the mass of people moving down the street in the distance.
Calgary’s POW
It reminded me of Calgary’s POW Parade (Parade Of Wonder), where Calgarians of all ages, dress up as their favourite fantasy characters, gather at downtown’s Eau Claire Plaza and walk en masse up Barclay Mall to Stephen Avenue Walk and then to Olympic Plaza – a distance of about 1.5 kilometers.
It seems humans around the world have a need and/or desire for an annual celebration where they can “remove the chains of everyday living and be free to let their hair down.” Be it the Stampede in Calgary; Mardi Gras in New Orleans; Carnival in Rio de Janeiro; Winter Carnaval in Quebec City; Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, La Tomatina (tomato fight) in Bunol or others.
FYI: I understand many Zombie stories involve some sort of pandemic. Perhaps a world-wide Zombie Walk is in order to celebrate the end of the COVID pandemic - whenever that might be.
Last Word
One of the great things about international travel (if you stay away from the tourist traps and resorts) is being able to see how other people live, work, play and celebrate. Just as I will never forget Mexico City’s Zombie Walk, I will also never forget the Good Friday Parade floats in Seville, Spain, the bird market in Hong Kong, the indigenous village we visited in Costa Rica or the Haida Gwaii Villages in British Columbia.
?*!&^ you, COVID! I sure miss travelling. Lucky I have my 50,000+ photo collection to remind me of the great experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to have had!
I will never forget these two young girls who literally crawled up to me as I was taking photos at the Monument to the Revolution’s plaza after the walk. They were very cute and friendly. The parents were nearby and smiled as I took their pictures.