“Why is it the last one? Why is it ending? Why are you ending it? Why? WHY?! WHHHYYYYY!?”

We hear you. We are also sad about it. Normally the undead can get away with saying very little (primarily “Brraaaiiiinnss!”) but maybe it’s time for a little real talk.

We’ve had as much fun organising this every year as you’ve had attending it. We’ve had support from some amazing people and venues, we’ve had parties, new friendships, engagements, and everyone involved has at least a couple of stories they could tell – whether marshalling, organising, or just shambling along with the rest of us.

But it’s getting harder each time. The cold hard truth is that World Zombie Day isn’t as popular as it once was. There are many reasons for this (people want different things from their increasingly precious few days out, zombies in culture aren’t what they once were, London is more expensive each year) but ultimately none of this is anything we can control. We have noticed the smaller crowd each year and although this is sad, it is also natural.

With less people attending, there are also less volunteers to help, and we raise less money for charity each year. Megan (our fearless leader) has been shouldering more and more of the responsibility. She’s really good at it, but she wants to free herself for other projects before World Zombie Day starts feeling like a chore. The rest of us (the remaining volunteers) won’t have time or energy to take over from her, let alone do World Zombie Day justice like she has over the years.

“I came to London in 2011, not knowing anyone, and with a love for horror movies, dressing up, and event planning. Joining the organising team for World Zombie Day therefore seemed like a no-brainer. Little did I know that the people I would meet through this event would become some of my dearest friends.

Saying “goodbye” is an extremely hard thing to do. I don’t know what I will do without World Zombie Day in my life, and that is really scary… but it’s time for me to look fear in the eye and smile. After this World Zombie Day, I will convert the website into a portal of information for anyone, in any city, who may wish to run their own event. And you never know, after a break, we may come back…. zombies have a funny way of resurrecting.” –Megan Aileen Williams

Let’s have one last huge party before they announce the time of death. Let’s not decompose in the gutter sadly, but instead, march into the sunset with a satisfied groan. Let’s remember World Zombie Day for what it was meant to be: Fun!

You don’t need us for getting together with handfuls of friends, dressing as zombies, and bemusing the populace of London. We are stopping, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Shuffle on, you glorious zombies.

~Death is not the end.