By MIKE NORTON
Heck, I always knew there were zombies in Traverse City. After all, I used to cover local government back in my journalism days, and I’ve got no problems with zombo-Americans, as some of them prefer to be called. But who knew they’d end up with their own Halloween events? Two of them, in fact.
First off, there’s the Traverse City Zombie Run, a 5K Walk/Run scheduled for Halloween morning. Participants (dressed as zombies, of course) will gather at the Right Brain Brewery on Garland Street and shamble around town for an hour or so before ending up at the brewery again for some post-run refreshments. The event is a fundraiser for TART Trails, our local recreational trail system, and there’ll be prizes for winners and for best costume. (Cost is $25, or $30 the day of the race.)
Zombo-American Runner
Then, that evening, there’s the first-ever Z-MASH, a major music and dance event that will be held out at the Terminal, TC’s big Garfield Avenue music venue, with three rooms, 30,000 square feet of Halloween celebration, a huge sound and lights experience and what organizers are calling “a Zombie Walk for thousands.”
Well, Louise. You don’t see something like that every day.
The folks at Porterhouse Prodctions have booked featuring Lyrics Born with female vocalist MC Joyo Velarde and DJ Icewater, as well as seven local and national DJs (including DJ Zest, DJ OCD B, DJ iPresume, DJ Ricky T, and more), Soul Step Break Crew, the Urban Elements Dance Project, the Raks-Incendia Tribal Belly Dancers and the Beledi Dance Troupe. There’ll be costume contests, a community/crowd “Thriller” dance, and (of all things) a mechanical bull. They’ll be giving away some big prizes, including two $500 cash prizes for Best Costume and a one-year pass to Porterhouse Productions shows, and more.
Best of all, they’re actually going to do the whole thing twice – an early alcohol-free show for the under-21 crowd, and a later full-bar show sponsored by the Magic Hat microbrewery featuring two of their mysterious brews: Howl, a “black as night” winter lager and #9, a “not quite pale ale.” (All right, I’m thirsty now.)
Doors open for the early under-21 show at 6:30 p.m. and the show lasts from 7 to 9; tickets are $10 in advance or $15 the day of the show. The full-bar show runs from 10 p.m to 2 a.m. and tickets are $15 in advance or $20 the day of the show. To order online, contact
