Visit Davis, California, home of the West Coast’s Zombie Bike Ride Halloweekend Festival from Friday, October 27th through Sunday, October 29th. Encounter endless Halloween spectacles, including mad scientists, rotting robots, dancing dead, electrifying e-bikes, karate, fencing, laser marksmanship, and a skydiving grand finale! The Davis Odd Fellows and The Bike Campaign are delighted to partner with over 100 sponsors, collaborators, and media partners to provide unforgettable Halloweekend experiences!
The Zombie Bike Ride’s mission has always been to make bicycling available to everyone, including children with special needs. Over the past four years, event organizers have raised funds (primarily from sponsors) and donated more than $22,000 to Norcal Trykers, an organization that creates custom tricycles for children with special needs. Each tricycle costs about $1,000 to make, and funds from our events have provided 23 children with custom tricycles so far. These children get to experience the freedom of riding on a bicycle and feeling the wind in their hair for the first time. With the help of our generous sponsors, we have been able to raise money for our beneficiary, Norcal Trykers, while keeping our events almost entirely FREE to the public! More opportunities to donate to Norcal Trykers are available along the bike route.
If you’re visiting from out of town, arrive early with your family and friends on Friday or Saturday and experience all that Davis has to offer: art, culture, a vibrant night life, and wonderful lodging. Book a room in one of our 12 hotels/motels, visit the UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden, and stroll our downtown. Don’t forget to bring, buy, or rent a bike! Davis boasts a variety bike shops, including our featured partners: Ken’s Bike-Ski-Board, Davis Cyclery, Green Bicycle Depot, Freewheeler, and the Bike Garage.
Zombie activities begin Saturday morning with Zombie Paintball from 9am-3:30pm, located at 24998 Co Rd 102 in Davis, CA. Zombie Paintball features the use of green paint in a game of zombies vs humans. Humans who get hit with green paint join the undead ranks. Can YOU survive the attack? Zombie Paintball is one of the very few features with a cost associated. Davis Paintball’s rules and charges apply.
After a day of sightseeing or Zombie Paintball, settle down at the Zombie Bike Ride’s family-friendly Pre-Bike Brew Party, hosted by Sudwerk Brewing Co. from 5-8pm at 2001 2nd Street. Meet like-minded zombie friends, get a bite to eat, and enjoy brews, boos, and plenty of Halloween candy at one of Davis’ most popular hangouts—complete with a mini pumpkin patch and carved pumpkins. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy Mirror Image Dance Company’s annual Trunk-or-Treat activity that can be found right out front.
We suggest getting plenty of rest on Saturday night, because more than 100 local and regional organizations have come together to surprise families and friends with a monstrously large Halloween present on Sunday, October 29th from 12-3:30pm. Drum roll please…our team of event organizers invite visitors and residents alike to join thousands of Halloween creatures for the ride of your life at our 5th annual, family-friendly Zombie Bike Ride!!!
The ride takes place along the 12-mile Davis Bike Loop. See the route on our website www.zombiebikeparade.com. Expect more than 12 entertainment stations, several zombie bike mechanics, and food and drink vendors. As an added bonus, participants can join the Zombie Kingdom Quest, collect stamps at entertainment stations, and earn a FREE board game and access to the castle bounce house. Entertainment stations range from interactive opportunities—such as engaging with local Davis groups like the robotics team (Citrus Circuits) and the Davis Fencing Academy—to encountering epic spectacles—such as zombies on stilts, an entire Halloween marching band, and a party on UC Davis Campus with DJ Mellax! Also, expect pop-up entertainment stations by community members, including the possibility of brain juice (pink lemonade) stations run by neighborhood children along the route.
In our experience, most riders can complete the entire Davis Bike Loop. Hop on the route at any location and ride in either direction. Although our event emphasizes bicycling, it is not required. All active mobility participants are invited: pedestrians, scooters, skateboards, strollers, wheelchairs, powerchairs, and other modes of transportation. For those who find it difficult to traverse bike lanes and green belts, we suggest driving to Community Park, where the majority of the day’s festivities take place. Community Park has food and drink vendors, entertainment, and the Skydance Skydiving grand finale at 3:30pm. The Zombie Bike Ride should be treated as a community-wide amusement park, so map out your custom route!
A 12-mile bike ride will make you as ravenous as a zombie, so take advantage of our food and drink vendors at Community Park: last year’s vendors included the Hotdogger, Steve’s Pizza, Niknek Lemonade, Kona Ice, and our vegan option, Vegan Circus. This year will have many of the same offerings with the addition of Puros’ Churros.
Finally, in downtown Davis from 4-6pm, join our Zombie Mash Afterparty featuring Stunt Master’s zombified BMX performers hitting ramps, launching into the air, and unleashing unearthly tricks. Partygoers can enjoy music by DJ Duc Jones, Fire University fire dancers, and a variety of downtown food, drink, and dessert options. This afterparty is sponsored by the Davis Downtown Business Association.
Have questions about our lineup of events? Want to join in the planning, sponsor our event, or form a partnership? Reach out to Zombie Bike Ride coordinator, Aaron Wedra, at smartzgraphics@yahoo.com or (530) 574-7306.
