St. Pat's Parade + Zombies = Darn Good Time

So, here we are, waiting for the St. Patrick’s Day parade to begin on Saturday. And, I’m sure you’re asking, “What the???”

What do you get when 40-something men brainstorm during the last couple of months while drinking beer and watching football at the local pub? The Louisville Irish Marching Zombies, or LIMZ.

Before you think they’ve completely lost their minds – and some have – you have to be familiar with another event in Louisville: the Zombie Walk. Each year, a few thousand people gather for a half-mile Zombie stroll in the Highlands neighborhood, which culminates in one big Zombie party afterward. Not sure how it started (although, “Night of the Living Dead” was filmed here), and I probably don’t want to know, but apparently it gets larger each year. And, now with the popularity of the AMC series “Walking Dead” and other films, zombies are everywhere, including the local St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The guys rented a trailer, Hubby had T-shirts and a banner made, several folks wore ghoulish make-up and they even had my dad make a recording that played on a loop throughout the event – a very “Citizens, take cover!” type of message. The kids and I opted out of the makeup, but we did wear the shirts and plenty of other green paraphernalia.

When I first heard the idea, I thought, “Everyone is going to think this is beyond lame and totally inappropriate!” But, the crowd loved it. I’m sure it raised an eyebrow or two among the members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, then again, it’s likely they were too drunk to care by the time they saw our float. And, as long as we were throwing green beads to the crowd, everyone was happy.

We're still waiting to find out if our float won any awards - perhaps Most Creative New Entry? Or Best Use of Make-Up? How about Best Irish Undead?

As we head toward the actual St. Patrick’s Day and another day of full-on Hooley activity, it'll be quite the celebration around these parts. Not only will the local Irish pubs be hopping, but my Kentucky Wildcats play in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Princeton, while the University of Louisville Cardinals play Morehead State. Good luck finding a space near the TVs at the bars during those games.

Have a great week, everyone!

Not to focus on all things light, the tragic events unfolding in Japan have weighed on my mind a great deal. We're collecting donations at work to give to the American Red Cross's tsunami relief fund and there are many other worthy organizations - The Red Cross, Salvation Army, International Medical Corps., Global Giving  to name a few - that are working to help the survivors of the tsunami. If you're seeking ways to help, visit these organizations' websites or do a search online.