Olympia Zombie Association

MOLLY GILMORE; For the Olympian
http://www.theolympian.com/nightlife/story/1010681.html

Prom typically is a glamorous occasion — and if it’s still glamorous when it’s a zombie prom, it’s glamorous in a whole new way. “Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you don’t want to look good,” said Dave Beacham of Olympia. He and his wife, Karen Beacham, have been working for the past few weeks on their outfits, hunting at thrift shops and pondering makeup choices.“You have to cultivate your zombie look,” he said. “You have to let your corsage wilt.” The prom, set for Saturday, is the latest creepy caper for the Olympia Zombie Association, the people who brought you the Zombie Walk in August. The event will include dancing, a DJ, a cash bar and, most likely, a performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance. It’s a fundraiser for the Thurston County Food Bank.

“I’ve been interested in zombies for so long that I can’t even remember how I got hooked on them,” said Nellie Russell of Olympia, who with her partner Bobby Goldsmith is the brains (the brain-eating brains?) behind the association. “I like zombie games and zombie movies.” But she’s not the only one. “Zombies have really made a forward move in society,” Beacham said. And Saturday, they’ll be making a move on prom night. “Put on your pretty dress and your rotting flesh,” the association’s Web site advises. The dressed-up zombies can even get their photos taken at Zomprom. “A local photographer is going to set up a photo booth in the hallway so it’s more like a prom,” Russell said.

Zomprom
What: This zombie prom for all ages is a chance to dress in formal clothes and disgusting makeup. It’s also a fundraiser for the Thurston County Food Bank.
When: 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday
Where: Urban Onion Ballroom, 116 Legion Way S.E., Olympia
Tickets: $8 with a donation of food for the food bank, $10 without; available in advance at the Urban Onion or at the door
More information: www.zombiewalkolympia.com