What is the Zombie Pub Crawl?
The Zombie Pub Crawl is an event in Minneapolis/St. Paul during which thousands of people pretend to be dead and wander the streets, boozing and dancing and carousing and having the time of their lives. Which, I guess, is kind of ironic, considering everyone’s dead. It’s like a cross between Mardi Gras and a George Romero movie.
It began with 150 zombies in Minneapolis in 2005 and has grown every year since, as any good zombie mob does. There are many copycat events around the world, but this is the original.
Where is the Zombie Pub Crawl?
The West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis as well as Midway Stadium in St. Paul, which we’re renaming “Zombie Island” for some reason.
Maps and a complete itinerary are here.
When is it?
Saturday, October 13, 2012.
West Bank is 4 PM until 2 AM.
Zombie Island is 2 PM until 11 PM.
Where should I park?
There’s free parking at the State Fairgrounds, with free shuttles to Zombie Island (Midway Stadium), where there are more free shuttles to Minneapolis and back.
VIZs park free at Midway Stadium.
Can I leave my car there overnight?
Yes.
Hold on, let me look at the weather foreca…. oh crap. What happens if it rains?
This is a rain or shine event. And honestly, clouds and the occasional drizzle make for the perfect backdrop to a zombie apocalypse! The good news is that it won’t be too cold (highs of 60, the weatherpersons say), and we just ordered a crap-ton of huge tents, just in case.
Bottom line: A little rain can’t stop the world’s largest zombie horde.
Where do I buy my wristband?
Go here to purchase your tickets online. Beginning Monday, October 1, you can redeem your ticket for a wristband (or purchase new tickets) at any Ragstock location in the state of Minnesota:
- Minneapolis: 1433 West Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: 612-823-6690 - Maplewood:
3001 White Bear Avenue Space 2056A
Maplewood, MN 55109
Phone:651-779-2940 - Mall of America (two locations):
358 South Avenue
Bloomington, MN 55425
Phone: 952-854-5133 - Golden Valley:
7924 Olson Memorial Highway
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Phone: 763-546-9955 - Rosedale: 410 Rosedale Space 315 Roseville, MN 55113
Phone: 651-697-5466 - Northfield: 420 Division, Northfield, MN 55057
Phone: 507-645-9081 - Mankato: 1850 Adams Street, Suite 126, Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: 507-625-3315 - St. Cloud: 4201 W. Division St. Suite 79, St. Cloud, MN 56301
Phone: 320-251-8962 - Duluth: 9 W. Superior Street, Suite 100, Duluth, MN 55802
Phone: 218-722-1201
While you’re there you also get 20% off your zombie purchase, which is a pretty sweet deal.
ON THE DAY OF THE CRAWL: Ragstocks will have wristbands on the day of the crawl for pick-up. You can also get your wristband at the crawl itself at one of the eight will-call locations, marked by a “?” on this map.
Will-Call locations:
- Grumpy’s
- The Holiday Inn
- The Red Sea
- The Acadia Cafe
- The Nomad
- The Cabooze parking lot
- The Cabooze light rail stop
- Midway Stadium
Can I pick up my wristband at Ragstock on the day of the crawl?
Yes. See above. Every Ragstock in Minnesota will have wristbands available on Saturday, Oct. 13, and you can also get your wristband at any of our eight will-call booths.
What kind of wristbands are available? I heard last year there were three.
Yeah, that was a huge headache, so this year there’s just one wristband that gets you into everything. That includes all ZPC bars, block parties, Zombie Island, all carnival rides at Zombie Island, all concerts, and rides on the zombie shuttles running between the West Bank and Zombie Island.
If you want to go the ultimate-baller route, you can get a VIZ ticket instead. This includes a wristband, custom ZPC tote bags screenprinted by Dwitt (the official ZPC artist), 10 free drinks, luxury bathrooms with no lines, exclusive areas near the stages at Cabooze and Zombie Island to see the bands, free popcorn, and maybe access to a slushy machine or two. Seriously high-roller stuff.
How much does it cost?
A ZPC wristband is $22.99. Get your ticket now!
And then get on the email list using the form in the upper right of this page so you can hear about our early-bird tickets next year. Those were sold for $6.66 this year.
If we have any wristbands left on the day of the crawl, they’ll be $40. So buy one now.
VIZ tickets are $150.
Can I purchase a ticket at Ragstock directly?
Yes. Or you can buy them online.
I don’t have a printer to print my ticket.
You can have it mailed to you. Just choose that option when purchasing your ticket.
I got an email that said tickets were $6.66, but now I see they’re $22.99. What the deuce?
$6.66 was the early-bird price. As is often the case with early-birds, they didn’t last long. Those tickets sold out four hours after you got that email. Had you acted quickly, you could’ve gotten one. Better luck next year!
Can you mail me my wristband?
Sorry, no. You can pick it up at any Ragstock location in Minnesota two weeks prior to the crawl, or you can pick it up at any will-call location throughout the crawl.
Where will the Will-Call stations be?
In Minneapolis: The Cabooze, the Nomad, the Acadia, the Red Sea, the Holiday Inn, and Grumpy’s.
In St. Paul: Zombie Island (aka Midway Stadium)
I heard the Zombie Pub Crawl was going to be at Harriet Island.
Nope. Zombie Island is Midway Stadium, not Harriet Island.
Why is it called Zombie Island?
We just like the name.
Who’s playing the Zombie Pub Crawl?
DMX, the Gin Blossoms, Exodus, Big Freedia, and a ton of local bands and DJs, including L’Assassins, Get Cryphy, E.L.nO., Marijuana Deathsquads, and Slamdunkapher. Check out the itinerary here.
Are there any all-ages venues at the Zombie Pub Crawl?
Zombie Island is all-ages (We recommend the young zombies being out of the stadium by 6, as the entertainment gets a little more adult-oriented after that). EVERYTHING ELSE IS 21+.
What else is at Zombie Island?
Carnival rides! Unlimited free rides for all wristband holders. We’re also going to have fireworks at dusk, and we’re talking to the fire department about burning a building next to the stadium.
Are there free drinks?
No. But there will be limited-edition cans of Grain Belt, aka “Brain Belt,” for sale at all bars. These things are super awesome and will probably be very collectible some day.
VIZs get 10 free drinks.
I heard the lines are super long at the Zombie Pub Crawl.
That’s why we’re encouraging people to get their wristbands early at Ragstock! No waiting in line for a wristband, PLUS you get cheap zombie supplies. Win-win!
We’ve also got these fancy RFID wristbands this year, which should keep lines moving swiftly all night long.
Are there shuttles between the two legs of the crawl?
Yes. Pick-up and drop-off locations are near the I-94 off-ramp by the Triple Rock in Minneapolis and Midway Stadium in St. Paul. You need a wristband to board the zombie shuttles.
Why do we even need wristbands? I don’t think I should have to pay to get into a pub crawl.
Proceeds from the crawl go to pay for entertainment, security, city permits, insurance, porta-potties, stages, barricades, staff, and charities. We’ve got national acts, the best local bands, cheap drinks, and thousands of zombies roaming throughout both Twin Cities. Attempting to break a Guinness Record alone costs a ton of money. If you don’t think it’s worth $23 to get all that AND be part of the largest pub crawl on Earth, then don’t come.
Do I really need a wristband to get into the bars?
Yes. We’ve been over this.
Do I have to be 21 to go to the Zombie Pub Crawl?
No! Zombie Island is all ages. Everything else is 21+ though.
Does my zombie kid need a wristband to go to Zombie Island?
Our answer to this question is: Airplane rules. If your kid needs a ticket to fly on a plane, he/she needs a wristband to attend the Zombie Pub Crawl.
But again, your zombie kid should probably be out of the stadium by 6 PM.
What entertainment will there be?
DMX! The Gin Blossomes! Check the itinerary already!
Who’s the official poster artist of the Zombie Pub Crawl?
Is this really world’s largest pub crawl?
We think so. The current record-holder had just over 4,000 participants, so we’re pretty sure we beat that several years ago.
Judging the size of a pub crawl is hard to do, though, because we’d need to prove that everyone actually went to a certain number of bars, which is a logistical nightmare. Instead, we’re focusing on the“Largest Gathering of Zombies” record, which is currently held by the New Jersey Zombie Walk, who had 4,093 attendees last year. We had way more than that last year, but Guinness told us they need more evidence. So we’re trying again this year.
So the Zombie Pub Crawl is going to break a Guinness World Record this year? How can I help?
Yes! At 8:00 p.m. on the dot, we are going to count the zombies in Zombie Island (Midway Stadium) and attempt to break the Guinness record for “Largest Gathering of Zombies.” More info here.
Is it OK if I spray fake blood all over the sidewalk, or all over the walls and windows of local buildings and businesses?
No! Seriously. No. That is vandalism. There will be cops present, and if you get caught dumping fake blood on anything, or vandalizing anything, you will face the full punishment of the law.
What about breaking windows? That’s cool, right?
If you do that, you’ll be arrested. Not kidding.
Wait, I thought the Zombie Pub Crawl was the one time a year that the law doesn’t apply to me.
Ummm… no.
So no fake blood?
You can have fake blood all over yourself if you like. Just don’t spray it on other people’s stuff. (That includes windows, sidewalks, street signs, and bathrooms.)
But I can still stagger into traffic, right?
Jesus, are you serious? No!
Will there be food?
Yes! Remember Zombie Pub Crawl Rule #1: Eat something! Otherwise you’ll pass out early and/or puke all over our shoes, like this one dude from St. Cloud did last year. At like 6 pm.
There will be food trucks throughout the Minneapolis side of the crawl. Zombie Island will have all kinds of food. And many of the bars will serve food too.
Speaking of food: Please don’t destroy the Chipotle bathroom again. They were pretty mad about that last year.
What about tipping? Do zombies tip?
Zombies always tip their bartenders.
I’m from out of town…
That’s awesome! Thanks for coming.
… and I need a place to stay.
There are lots of hotels along or near the ZPC route. The Holiday Inn is right in the heart of the Minneapolis side, and even offers a special Zombie Pub Crawl Package!
Other nearby hotels in Minneapolis:
Nearby hotels in St. Paul:
I’ve got stuff I want to sell at the Zombie Pub Crawl. Is that cool with you?
Probably. Go here for more info about becoming a ZPC vendor.
I want to do people’s make-up!
OK. If you want your own tent in the vendor area, go here.
I’ve always wanted to see a 50-foot inflatable zombie. Will I get to do that this year?
All we’re saying is, it’s possible.
What’s the ZPC cheer again?
“What do we want?
Brains!
When do we want ‘em?
BRAAAAAINS!!!!!”
That’s pretty sweet.
Yeah.
