The Dead Will Rise Again: The 7th Annual Providence Zombie Night Has Something Terrifyingly New

Break out the fake blood, latex and makeup, and get ready to terrorize the streets of Providence for this year’s Zombie Night. The 21+ event kicks off at 7pm on Saturday, October 18 (don’t forget your IDs!).

Finding a location to accommodate the ever-growing number of zombies each year has been a challenge. This year’s Zombie Night will begin and end at the Quarantine Zone, a block of Union Street between Fountain and Washington Streets, right in front of the Eighty-Eight Lounge.

“We’re going to have a location that houses as many zombies as could possibly show up for the entire night, because some people like to go off and walk in the streets and some people don’t like to,” said the Reverend Al Mighty, the event’s mastermind. “So this year we’re trying to cater to everybody – the people who want to do the street-closed dancing thing and the people who want to walk the streets.”

With seven years in existence, Zombie Night has become as much a social gathering as a Halloween-themed event, and sometimes matches are made. One special story is of Jackie and Mike. These two strangers met at the third annual Zombie Night and by the following year, they were married. They recently welcomed a zomb-baby. It goes to show that even the dead can find love in between devouring the living. “Who needs eHarmony when you have Zombie Night?” posted the Rev on Zombie Night’s official Facebook wall.

Zombie Night will kick off with Boolesque, a Halloween burlesque show with a special twist. “We are doing the first ever street-side burlesque in Providence,” said the Rev. The Eighty-Eight Lounge will be closed off to the public and turned into the main stage as the ladies perform through the windows. Expect to see some amazing acts by Bettysioux Tailor, Vivienne LaFlamme, Vanil LaFrappe, and Dot Mitzvah. If you saw Bettysioux’s “Radioactive” and Vanil’s “The Fly” last year, you can only imagine what they will do to top it this year.

Musical tag-team DJ Tank Jones and The Riddler will be spinning all night in the Q-Zone, which also is where the Midnight Costume Contest will be held. The Rev and crew will search for the top three winners throughout the event. “We’re looking for the most original, creative zombies out there,” said the Rev. Last year there were zombie pirates, Nazis, mummies, the three blind mice, and even an undead Popeye and Olive Oyl.

In case some zombies can’t handle their infections, a “no-douchebag law” has been put into effect by the Rev. “If someone is caught being uncivilized toward other zombies, or taking things a little out of control, they will be eaten on sight.”

Several downtown locations will welcome the zombie herd, but to know which ones, you’ll have to come early. “For the purposes of parking around downtown, and to be the first to know all the surprises, definitely be there for 7pm,” said the Rev.

Come early for the Boolesque, stay (or prowl the streets) for the grotesque gathering, and don’t forget to bring along a designated driver, because it’s always good to have a fresh, late-night snack when you get home.