It took 3 years...

and 3 days, but Edmonton has finally managed to impress me with it's heretofore unknown ability for random awesomeness.

Last night, I was having dinner at Mosaics with friends. (Mosaics is one of the few things about Edmonton that I will actually miss. The food is consistently delicious and every time I've been there, the background music has been The Smiths or Morrissey). Part way through our meal, someone comes in from off the street and announces to the room, "The zombies are coming." He said it twice, but with surprisingly little excitement, then left. It was odd and we all thought he was delusional or maybe just inebriated. Then someone said, "There really is zombies!" And, sure enough, there was a herd (gang? school? murder?) of zombies lurching and stumbling down Whyte Ave.

Not to ruin the magic, but apparently this is a thing that people do all over. Like-minded people dress up like Zombies and have annual events. Check out this posting for the most recent Edmonton walk. Apparently they picnicked after heading down Whyte. I love how the author of the post stresses that they "stay in character" and points out that they actually have to pay to go on the LRT, just because they're undead doesn't mean they don't have to live by society's rules.

I think this is so cool. One of my mom's favourite movies is the original Night of the Living Dead and she loves zombie movies. I can totally see her doing the Zombie Walk if she were 30 years younger (and maybe just one degree crazier).

I wonder why it's always the horror/sci-fi genres that inspire people to wear costumes in public places, like Trekkies, or Rocky Horror Picture Show fanatics. I don't see why more genre groups don't do it. Can you imagine a Jane Austen Walk? Or a Miss Marple Walk? Or, um, a Louis L'amour Walk? (Forgive me, my knowledge of genres I don't read is limited to reading the spines of books I shelved when I worked at a library in High School). But you get the point. How much would this city improve if every Saturday in the spring/summer there was another group of people walking around in specifically themed costumes for our enjoyment?