Got Zombies on the Brain? Here Are Five Lively Undead Events for You.

The Walking Dead

A cottage industry has popped up to help sate the nation's unending appetite for the undead. Everything from brain shaped candy, to "Zombie Squad" customizations for vehicles are readily available for consumers who want to show that they're ready for the not really upcoming zombie apocalypse. Lucky for those North Texans with a taste for adventure there are a handful of events to hold them over until society's eventual collapse.

Dallas REI's Zombie Preparedness - Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse Class
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 16
Where: REI Dallas, 4515 LBJ Freeway

The outdoor retailer frequently offers classes for the urban adventurer in us all, and it being Halloween season they've jumped into the zombie game by offering up a zombie preparedness course that covers all the basics it would take to survive a zombie apocalypse. Lucky for attendees of the course many of the skills being taught would be invaluable in any disaster situation in a major urban area, so even if the dead do not rise, you're at least learning something you can use.

Cedar Springs Zombie Walk/Halloween Block Party
When: Friday, October 17th at 6:00 pm
Where: The 3900 block of Cedar Springs

The annual Halloween Block Party on Cedar Springs kicks off with a zombie walk where zombie fans will don make up and slowly crawl down the block going from one bar to another indulging tricks and treats of the area. Which pretty much sounds like any Friday night on Cedar Springs, but this free party is often one of the highlights of the year as zombie fans go all out on their costumes, turning this free affair into the place to show off you best costume creations.

Zombie Safari Dallas
When: Friday, October 17th to Saturday, November 1st
Where: Cousins Paintball in Forney

If you're willing to make the 20-minute trip out to Forney and plop down $25, you can jump on the converted school bus that's the emergency response vehicle used in the Dallas Zombie Safari. Zombie killing enthusiasts man one of the gun turrets on the bus and live out their dreams of being Ken Foree and chop down some zombie scum with paintballs. It's the closest you'll get to an actual apocalypse, so you might as well take a seat, load up, and unleash your fury on the undead.

Zombie Diver Certification
When: October 25
Where: International Scuba, 2540 Marsh Lane

There's been some debate over whether you could escape zombies via the water, and Lucio Fulci decided to answer the question in his cult classic Zombi 2 by not only having a zombie take to the ocean, but fight a shark. Much like REI, International Scuba offers an assortment of skill classes for outdoor/underwater enthusiasts, and this year they've jumped into the Halloween game by offering a zombie survival class paired with a course where divers have to complete tasks and avoid the swimming dead. While it's highly unlikely you'll meet the undead at the bottom of a lake, or the ocean, it's better to be safe then sorry when it comes to these things.

Zombie Manor
When: Every weekend in October
Where: 7501 U.S. Highway 287, Arlington

Haunted Houses are in every suburb in Dallas/Fort Worth, but only Zombie Manor has been ahead of the Zombie curve. Featuring some of the best sets in the haunted house game, this cinema quality experience has long been a DFW favorite for those who are trying to get as realistic of a scare as possible. Tickets run $17 to $22, and that's a steal for an area that sees haunted houses of lower quality charge almost twice that.