Zombie Day East Lansing was organized by Replay Entertainment Exchange, 319 E. Grand River Ave. The event encouraged participants to don gory makeup, listen to local bands at an in-store concert and participate in the Zombie Walk, an organized march of the undead. Freaky fun aside, Zombie Day also promoted real living, breathing causes.

“We’re doing kind of like a local protest to make East Lansing cool again, because East Lansing is decidedly uncool after 10 years of stagnation,” said Ted Wilson, owner of Replay Entertainment Exchange. “We’re also trying to encourage people to donate to the Greater Lansing Food Bank.”

Zombies were asked to donate “canned rations” when they registered and sign a waiver that included such citations as, “I will not attack or bite anyone.”

The Zombie Walk, the most heavily participated in event of the evening, began soon after sunset.

The large crowd of the walking dead were told to assemble behind the parking lot in The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave. Moaning and groaning, the assemblage made its way down Grand River Avenue, turned right on Abbot Road, went up Albert Avenue where the walk concluded at the clock tower at Albert and M.A.C. avenues. After a brief rally, the zombies dispersed.

Will Dunlap, a friend of Wilson’s, who thought of the event, emphasized the goal of supporting local youth activities.

“We’re trying to get young people out to East Lansing again,” Dunlap said. “The city of East Lansing doesn’t plan anything for the college crowds and they’re actually trying to push out the influence because of some riots that happened a decade ago. They’re too scared to let anyone do anything fun.”

Dunlap said Zombie Day was just one event he and Wilson were planning.

“We’re planning other things in the summer and it’s gonna be nothing but just an exhibition of local youth and ideas and local business,” Dunlap said.

Rachel Keresztes, a Lansing Community College student studying psychology, dressed as a flesh-eater to help support the food bank.

“You know zombies don’t usually run out of food supplies, but there are needy people and they do run out,” Keresztes said.

John Murphy, a 9-year-old from Lansing, attended the event with his father and sister.

“I got all dressed up at my dad’s house, cut some holes in an old shirt and did it up with some marker and I’m a zombie,” Murphy said.

Not all who came to Zombie Day wore costumes; some attended out of pure curiosity.

“I have a buddy that lives in Portland, Ore., that did one of these back in October and he said they were a lot of fun,” said Andy Austin, a Lansing resident. “I think it’s pretty cool. I actually think a lot these people are pretty interesting folks.”

Following the walk, the event’s organizers deemed the day a success, collecting a total of 173 cans of food.

“It was fantastic,” Wilson said. “We drew a lot more people that had no idea we were there. It was a lot of fun; we had more people than we’ve ever had in the store.”