The Louisville area is known for hosting quite a few popular events. Derby events such as thunder over Louisville, the oaks and the historic Kentucky derby itself. They host big annual concerts such as forecastle and louder than life. However Louisville spookiest and most creative annual event takes place every August in the highlands on the corner of Bardstown road and eastern parkway. It's is known as the Louisville Zombie attack or as locals call it the "zombie walk". This is a free event where people go all out and dress as zombies and other cool creative costumes and they roam around the popular highlands area that is filled with restaurants and bars. They have vendors setup in the street and usually live music and entertainment. The event is well secured and patrolled by local Lmpd and have barricades/port o pots and things setup to contain the big living dead bash. Even zombies neee barriers and potty breaks! This is kid friendly. While it can be spooky for some kids (it is a zombie walk) the people out for frights usually don't mess with the little ones and are more then willing to stop for photo ops With the little ones. If your child scares easy then I would skip it. However, I'd say it's main audience is adults. It's usually on a Friday or Saturday night and highlands is a popular bar area so there is lots of drinking and dancing activities around including in the live music and beer tent area. The whole walk back and forth maybe takes an hour or so and they do shut it down after certain times. We usually just get dressed up find a place to street park and circle around a few times and take in the sites and fun . The bars and restaurants are open but we usually skip eating because the crowds are so large. From my understanding this started as a flash mob in 2005. And slowly became what it is today. I think we've been to this annual late August event 3-4 times and we have loved it every year we have attended. It's the event we look forward to the most annually. With it being in late August it puts you in the spooktacular mood for Halloween coming up right around the corner. Lots of fun and highly recommend checking out if you enjoy Halloween or spooky type things. read more

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Gotta say -- not too impressed with the latest iteration of the annual Louisville Zombie Attack. This used to be one of my favorite weird Louisville traditions (as you can see from my previous review). But it was recently taken over by another business and permanently moved to a Saturday, rather than annually on Aug. 29. And with it being on a Saturday, it seemed so much bigger than in years past and with that came more drunkenness and rowdiness. Holding the event on weekdays may have kept some of that back. As odd as it may sound, the Louisville Zombie Attack was much more well behaved in the past. There were many more kids and teenagers, and while there was drinking, the undead masses were out in the best spirits and seemed excited to be a part of a great event that was welcoming to everybody. This year, though, people were making out and over indulging, even with scores of kids around them. It reminded me more of the worst of the St. Patrick's Day festivities. I and my husband got pushed off of the sidewalk into the street by people who were drunk and oblivious. We saw a few people come up right next to the kids we were standing by, smoking. And while I hate -- HATE -- smoking, I hate it even more that these people were so inebriated that they were waving around their cigarettes, coming way too close to burning the kids. It was hard to see through all of this if the parade was managed properly; perhaps it was. But my hope is that the zombie attack becomes more about, well, the zombies and a great time overall for all, rather than just a drunken mess. read more

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omg....I love EVERYTHING about the Louisville Zombie Attack!! Who knew such a weird, random event would turn out to be one of the most popular and fun things that Louisville has to offer? I have heard about the Zombie Walk for years... I heard nothing but good things, although I never had the urge to try it for myself until this year. Let me tell you that I definitely will be back next year! So the event is a majority of Bardstown Road, the road is closed off so the zombies can walk freely. Everyone dresses up and some people don't, but I really love seeing the people who go all out and have some pretty creative costumes. There's live music, cool vendors (psychic readings, voodoo dolls, zombie masks, etc.), and trucks with zombie-themed booze. There's also street performers, photo ops... I could literally go on and on about how much there is to do here y'all... But seriously, if you're needing to get in the Halloween spirit do this!! Or even if you don't have a reason, do he Zombie Walk anyways! read more

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This event had potential but it just fell flat. My friends and I got to the event close to when it opened and it was packed. We spent most of our night just trying to get through the crowds. Since it was so crowded we barely saw what they had to offer but what I did see was just shirts for sale. This is probably the last time I would come to this event. read more

For just one night a year Louisville is taken over - becoming the night of the living dead. Thousands of brain-hungry zombies flood ValuMarket, multiplying as they surprise human passerbys along Bardstown Road and Grinstead. From princesses to brides, Mario, Little Bo Peep, farmers and regular folks, the light is gone from their eyes as they drudge the walk to the Monkey Wrench. There awaits an epic block party of the undead. And beer. And music. A few zombie hunters. And maybe best of all - zombie bicycle (and unicycle) polo at Barret Bar. Life may never be the same once you give yourself to the dark side... read more

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We attended the Louisville Zombie Attack for the first time this year. I really didn't even know it was an event that had been held multiple times in the city. Zombies are not really my thing but it was interesting to see those who really did it up right with elaborate make up and costumes. There were a few people who took it too far but in a crowd there are always those people. I was a bit shocked by the number of young children that parents had brought to the event. read more

I love love love the Louisville Zombie Attack! I am a huge horror nerd. I'm the girl that goes to conventions. I love all things scary and gross and science fiction/fantasy. So, of course, the Louisville Zombie Attack is right up my alley. I love seeing all of the costumes. People get so into it, even more so than Halloween. It's so fun to see everyone out having so much fun! Most restaurants and bars in the Highlands, the area where the Louisville Zombie Attack is held, have cool drink and menu specials for the event. Many places have zombie themed cocktails or something cool like skull glasses to drink from. The event is every year on August 29 beginning at 8:29 p.m. I highly recommend you start saving that date! read more

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Used to really enjoy this event as a Louisville original. Started out (back in the day) as a mass of zombies that would stream out of MidCity Mall to the delight/horror of all the spectators. What it has turned into is about 60% zombies and 40% non-zombies right from the start. This would be a better event if they cordoned off the first couple of blocks for zombies only. Completely understand people wanting to get pics both of and with some of the amazing makeup and costumes people apply (and they really are amazing--some of them movie quality), but it would be better if there were some separation to start. Still a good event for this great city! read more

I waited ten years to go to this event. I didn't participate with the makeup, but I did watch the whole thing and enjoyed it very much. I love the weirdness of Louisville and love that these events are still kid friendly. We had a lot of fun watching the craziness from the sidelines. We even saw one large group of zombies doing a Thriller Flash Mob. That was my highlight. read more

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Keep Louisville Weird is right! We have such a fun awesome city! I have to say that this was one of the best events that we put on in the city. One of our BUSIEST streets is closed on a Saturday night for a few miles. (2 maybe? Shout out of you know for sure!) The police are unobtrusively present to remind every one to play nice - which I think is great! They were smiling and laughing and I think they really love our city too. By the way, as far as I could tell, everyone did play nice and had a fantastic time! There were some really scary costumes and a few scary people that had fun coming up behind you and growling or jumping out at you from bushes. All to enhance your safe scary experience. The guilla (sp?) Suit guy hiding in the tall grass - good job. You made me almost pee! Lol! The fact that the Zombie Walk was on the same day/night as the Highlands Festival - brilliant! There were booths of every manner! We stopped at some artist booths, food booths, and beer booths, all while dancing/listening/rocking out to the music at multiple performance stages! The local businesses were in on the act too! Bar Nowhere had the techno going and zombies dancing on platforms in their "courtyard" - so much fun! Dragon King's Daughter had caution tape up everywhere making it look like a condemned building. There was so much going on and you could just walk and walk and walk. And my feet HURT! (Moral of this story - do not be a zombie in heels! Dress comfortably to WALK a LONG DISTANCE!) So until next year zombie friend, creepy scary guilla suit guy, amazing makeup artistists, and brilliantly creative LOUISVILLIANS, Keep It Weird! read more

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There is a saying that us local louisville natives like to abide by... Keep Louisville Weird...and by golly what better way to do so then have 30,000 brain eating participants dressed up as zombies walking down the streets of one of Louisville's most happening areas. Every year my friends and I use this as an opportunity to get around the fact that Halloween, one of our fave holidays, only comes once a year. We get our creative juices flowing by doing different themes every year. From zombie prom, to zombie Oz, and even taking some of Disney's most beloved characters and turning them into devilish misters hungry for brains, we have done it all...it's a fun time to let loose and not be so serious for once and I enjoy it every year as it grows and grows each time. I had no idea that the event ran on donations up until this year and I donated....please do the same people. A dollar donation from each participant is all they ask...don't be stingy and not donate as you reap all of the benefits of enjoying such a fun time ;) read more

Louisville Zombie Attack - Zombie Oz - Festivals Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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I've been doing this since the third year of its existence. I love it, it kicks off our costuming season every year. It's amazing that, it's like a community event, the whole neighborhood gets involved. I love seeing all the great costumes, there's so much talent and creativity in town. Everyone gets so into it and just has a good time. For us it's a family affair, and all of our friends, we meet up to get ready together, it's a blast!! No signs of us stopping anytime soon!!! read more

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It seems to me that things were a little less organized this year with it officially starting at Eastern Pkwy instead of Mid City Mall as it has the past few years. But it is a Zombie Attack, zombies are not organized so I can get over that. One thing that has irritated me while doing the walks the last three years would be the number of, usually, teenagers who look at this as a way to get out of the house and just "pick up someone". Come on, ripping up a white t-shirt and MAYBE spraying some fake blood on it does not make you a zombie. With all the zombie movies, TV shows and YouTube videos out there, you can put together a good zombie in a matter of minutes. At least give it a try. One other thing, it is a ZOMBIE walk, not a 5k. Zombie linger down the street. They don't walk at a brisk pace. And it would not hurt to interact with the crowd. Some of my favorite moments are walkin up on the sidewalk, walkin up next to someone who does not realize you are there, then they scream when they turn and see you. Good times. read more

Love the zombie attack! Great family fun and so much going on! Always a good time! It's a must! Most zombie fun you can have that kicks off the Halloween season! read more

I go to a lot of local events, but the Zombie walk is by far my favorite! I look forward to it every year. There are great live bands, products to buy, and amazing costumes to see. The only thing I dislike are the more modernized political groups that harass you and try to get you to join them i.e. The Alison Grimes army at Zombie Attack 2014. The best part of this event though, is the fact that it is free and you can see people from the community bonding. It's great. read more

Fun family event with lots of great costumes but not the throw-down street party it once was.

I have always wanted to go to one of these things, whether it be participating as a Zombie, or just zombie watching.. I was just zombie watching this time, but still had a blast. There are certainly some interesting characters out there,lol. I'm sure this wont be my last zombie event, I love them! read more

You can not beat this FREE, FUN, and all are welcome. It's like halloween but without having to buy candy or wait for kids. Took my 9 year old daughter last year and it was amazing. The zombies are a funnily interactive, but some may be a bit to bloody or scary for younger children. My daughter loved it, so much so that she is determined that her and I will dress up and walk this year. So AWSOME that it all started with a different kind of birthday idea and turned into this gigantic family friendly (mostly) party with police and city officials cooperation. read more