The Dead Rise for Zombie Kickball VII

The weather was perfect for today's annual Zombie Kickball game which took place on the Eastern Prom.  When I arrived the field was covered with zombies, but there was some confusion as one of the dugouts held a kids baseball team waiting to use the field.  But zombies have a way of triumphing over humans even when they aren't eating their faces.   The zombies had reserved the field.  So after watching the blood covered dead stumble around for awhile, the kids baseball team eventually wandered off.

The zombie turn out was smaller this year than in previous years, although there was a large crowd of spectators.  Not sure whether the lack of zombies had anything to do with being scheduled on the same day as the Old Port Festival or not, but both teams were fairly small and play was mostly in the infield.  There seemed to be a larger contingent of younger zombies.  Also it was good to see some familiar faces from previous years.

If you missed out on the fun, here are a few photos.

Zombies aren't the best kickers.

Some familiar faces from previous years get into a zombie skirmish.

Angry Ref zombie - another familiar face from previous years.

The littlest zombie whose eye makeup reminded me of Paul Stanley from Kiss.   Later on she almost devoured Monkey.

The Aviator zombie

Gas mask zombie 

The soccer zombie had some disgusting looking blood on his shirt.

A spectator helps Monkey with his Monkey Safety Vehicle, while Monkey comes to the realization that the vehicle has one major flaw - the entrance leaves his tail exposed to zombie bites.

Photos (c) Chris Wallace

Zombie Kickball 2010 Report

On World Zombie Day, October 10, hordes of the living dead staggered to the Eastern Prom for the 5th Annual Zombie Kickball game. While the zombie turn out was smaller than last year, there was still plenty of action for the large group of spectators that turned out to see the dead stumble, growl, and try to kick the ball.

Photos by Chris Wallace, video by Monkey

A zombie is thrown into a state of confusion when he sees Monkey.
Zombies attempt to climb the fence so they can gorge on the living.
The sight of Monkey makes a child zombie go crazy.
This young zombie spotted Monkey and decided to eat Monkey's brain. Good thing Monkey had his biohazard helmet on.
Zombie Michael Jackson treated the crowd to moon walking and a brief version of the Thriller dance.
Mother and daughter zombie make it safely to third base due to confusion on the playing field.
The littlest zombie works it for the crowd.
This is the zombie idea of a picnic - a comfy blanket to sit on and a bag full of human limbs.
Scout Master zombie has a marshmallow on a stick in his brain.
Zombie competition causes chaos on the field and zombies chase each other.
It's never good when a zombie has green gunk spewing from her mouth.
Zombie Jesus gets in on the action.
Monkey receives a banana from a thoughtful zombie.
See how Monkey survived the Zombie Kickball game.

Once again, another fun day of Zombie Kickball in Portland. Can't wait for next years game!

EVENT: Calling all zombies!

The First Annual West Fest block party is including a zombie kickball game!

WHAT: West Fest block party
WHEN: Saturday, May 22nd, 2010, 2:00-4:00pm
WHERE: Game will be played outside on the Reiche School field (or inside in the gym)

Like Zombie Kickball events in the past, you know the drill-- come on down in your best zombie get-up, and have some fun!
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The annual Zombie Kickball is still TBA for this year, but should take place sometime during the summer on the East End. Zombie Kickball is looking for a new wrangler/captain/organizer/manager (loosely speaking), if you're up for the job let us know your contact info and we'll forward it appropriately. :)

Zombie Kickball II Report

Well, I made it to Zombie Kickball this year. And boy, I am soooo glad I did. It was a hoot. Click on any photo here to see a larger version. Here your intrepid reporter finds herself face to face with a terrifying creature clearly wearing a bathrobe and slippers. Imagine my relief that I escaped -- I heard that earlier in the afternoon she had been documented chewing on some of the spectators' dogs, a rare variation of zombie appetite I have never seen before.

When I arrived, there were many people gathered, some zombie, more not, an ice cream truck, and some police. The police were there, it turned out, because some irate Little League parents had called them, fretting that their children would be terrorized. The cops came, surveyed the scene, including the small children who were participating in the zombie kickball teams (who were certainly not scared at all), and came to the very intelligent conclusion that there was no reason for them to do anything to stop the event -- and the fun commenced.

The teams shambled and lurched their way about the playing field. The zombies ran the gamut from not-very-zombie-at-all to terrifying. There was a woman with blue hair, crazy sunglasses and purple boots who "Arrrrrr!!!!"ed ferociously in a very pirate-like manner. There was a ballerina in a wheelchair. There was a fellow with his face all wrapped up and his legs draggling behind him. There was another fellow who was lying facedown at the corner of the chainlink fence outside the field when I arrived. Later he dragged himself onto the playing field, where he lay facedown until after the game, when two attendants hauled him bodily to the site where the group photo was being taken.

Throughout the game, a brave band of the undead rattled along on their instruments alongside each play, with surprising skill.

These are but a few of the marvels that I saw at the second annual Zombie Kickball held here in Portland. Last year's looks like it was pretty amazing too. There is video of it here on YouTube. I can only hope that there will be plenty of footage from this year's, too!

I took a ton of photos, many of which are online here on my Flickr.com site. Thanks, Zombie Kickball, for making this a truly memorable Memorial Day weekend!!!

All photos by Michelle Souliere, (c)2007.

Zombie Kickball Returns from the Dead!

Yeah, you thought it might never happen again. You glared into your mirror, pulling your hair out and grimacing, thinking to yourself, "God, how could I have missed it?! What is WRONG with me?!!" And then the unimaginable happens. The once in a lifetime event RETURNS. You, my dear friend and lover of all things zombie, are given a SECOND CHANCE.

Zombie Kickball II - Details (READ THIS!)

Eastern Prom Kickball Field.
Portland, Maine
Be in costume or be consumed!

OK, imagine it . . . Memorial Day Weekend on the Eastern Prom, sailboats criss-crossing Casco Bay . . . young lovers, lazing on the grass . . . the smell of backyard BBQ's . . . the sound of children frolicking on the playground . . . and several dozen shambling, undead converging on the Prom for a knockdown, drag-out game of Zombie Kickball!
What better way to celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer?

Sunday, May 27th, 1:00pm sharp, on the Eastern Prom kickball field!

If you don't feel like playing k-ball, you can still help fill the Zombie Bleachers. Last year we had about 30 folks show up, this year we're shootin' for 100. Sky's the limit, Zombie Cheerleaders, Zombie Drum Line, Zombie Hot Dog Vendor . . . bring it!
Now, forward this to anyone you know who might participate, the more zombies, the better ZKII will be.

Need inspiration? Read these tales of other recent Zombie gatherings around the continent:
• Zombies Mob Posh Vancouver Mall: http://flickr.com/groups/vancouver_zombiewalk_2005/
• San Fran Zombie Flash Mob: http://flickr.com/photos/ioerror/sets/685972/
• Zombies attack Austin Americal Idol auditions: http://www.tvsquad.com/2005/08/30/zombies-crash-american-idol-auditions/
• Zombies vs. D&D kids in Montreal: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkin/sets/538104/

Need Zombie makeup help? Try here (or rent a George Romero movie):
• http://zombies.tomwalsham.com/costume.html
• http://www.zombiepubcrawl.com/makeup.php
• http://www.terror4fun.com

If you missed it last year's fun, you can see some of it online: Zombie Kickball 2006 on YouTube, or take a peek at Jeff Boulet's photos on Flickr.

Lurch your way on out, it's bound to be fun.

Photo by Jeff Boulet.