Wichita Falls organizations join to sponsor free “Running Dead” event

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - The third annual Running Dead event in Wichita Falls is shaping up to be the biggest and best one yet.

The roughly mile-long course takes runners and walkers through downtown alleys filled with undead nightmares, challenging participants to make it to the finish line without becoming infected. Nearly 50 volunteer actors will take on the role of zombies during the event.

Event coordinator Amy Jones Walker said the event is open to everyone, not just seasoned runners.

“You don’t have to be an experienced runner either to participate in this run. You can walk it, you can run it, hell you can crawl it. If you’re in a wheelchair and you need somebody to help you, we have somebody that can go along with you and help you through the course,” Walker said.

Walker added that the Running Dead brings the entire community together.

“We’ve got kids from the high school coming to be zombies. We’ve got adults that look forward to Halloween every year but have no outlet. We have kids from the service branches like the Air Force and the Marine Corps are both going to be there, and they’re contributing to somebody’s laughter and happiness within the community,” Walker said.

The event is completely free, something Walker said was important in keeping the Halloween spirit alive.

“We didn’t want people to have to pay like $25 for entry fees and stuff like that. We wanted them just to have a really good time at no cost the way Halloween used to be. But we wanted something safe and fun and free for everybody to do. And really, it’s kind of selfish for me because I just like seeing the smiles on everybody’s faces,” Walker said.

For safety, organizers would like to remind participants that no weapons are allowed, zombies are not to be touched, and everyone must stay on the designated route.

The event will also feature a block party with more than 40 vendors, bounce houses, face painting, live music and other family-friendly activities. All participating vendors and sponsors are listed on the event’s website.

Along with sponsors, organizers work closely with servicemen and women who volunteer for service hours. More than 30 are expected to attend, serving as either scare actors or crossing guards to ensure street safety.

The Running Dead starts at 5 p.m. on Halloween, beginning at Stone Oven Pizza. Registration is open now at runningdeadwf.com, and participants can also register in person the day of the event.