The Bay View Zombie Apocalypse features a string of Bay View pubs mixing the sweets of a pub crawl with the bitters of shambling through the streets dressed as zombies. $25 gets access to a celebratory t-shirt, an event cup for use with specials, and a chance to look as bad as most people pub crawling at 2 a.m. do at 4 p.m. in the afternoon. It’s all in good fun (as a preview of Halloween) and for a good cause (proceeds go to Ruthie’s Kennel Club and AIDS Walk Wisconsin). To help prepare for the coming doom on Saturday, September 27, we’ve prepared a selection of films to watch while getting dressed up, along with some suggested drinks at each of the taverns to help…stay in character.

Hamburger Mary’s
The movie: Rocky Horror Picture Show. Theatrical, fabulous, and full of great songs to sing. But enough about this KK staple. Without this movie, dressing up in costume outside of Halloween or a theater might never have caught on.
The drink: Bloody Marys are the perfect drinks for breakfast. You’ve got a long day’s crawl ahead of you and need as many vitamins as you can get.

Boone & Crockett
The movie: Ravenous. Though technically a movie about cannibals, this film has plenty of spooky backwoods charm to warrant a place on this list. Likewise, though technically on Bay View’s main drag, Boone & Crockett has plenty of northwoods charm to spare.
The drink: Of all the excellent winter cocktails, check out the Dusk in Tortuga, if only because the lack of pirate-themed bars in Milwaukee disallowed a lazy Johnny Depp joke.

The Backyard
The movie: Zombieland. The laid-back vibe of this bar matches the “no big deal feel” of the zombie apocalypse from the movie. It’s also the bar voted most likely to have a random Bill Murray appearance out of nowhere.
The drink: Nothing says “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine” like a round of Jell-O shots.

The Highbury
The movie: Shaun Of The Dead. The Highbury prides itself on offering a football pub experience in a place where football means an entirely different sport. Nothing is more English than bashing in zombie skulls with a cricket bat.
The drink: Take car. Go to mum’s. Kill Phil, grab Liz, go to The Highbury, order a round of Smithwicks (the “w” is silent), and wait for all of this to blow over. How’s that for a slice of fried gold?

Studio Lounge
The movie: Cabin In The Woods. A meta-commentary movie that features some great hillbilly zombies while talking about the genre as a whole. Come for the snarky violence, stay for the highbrow discussion afterwards.
The drink: The signature margaritas here are no joke. Much like the movie selection, they are a lovingly crafted take on something that many people look down upon.

Tonic Tavern
The movie: Dawn Of The Dead. This classic is the strongest of the Romero movies that spawned the genre. It shows both the highs and lows of living out the end of days in luxury, something that might not be so bad locked up in Tonic’s slick interiors.
The drink: Feel like a VIP by ordering something off-menu. The bartenders know how to make a great drink with ginger infused brandy, ginger beer, and lime.