The Living Dead Dance for Housing

“Cause this is thriller, thriller night.” In Michael Jackson’s iconic video for his iconic 1982 song “Thriller,” Jackson shows that the living dead know how to move rotting limbs — sliding, shaking and clapping as they chase down his date. Even though the music video is over 40 years old, the living still have the chance to watch the undead hop, skip and jive this Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Amazon Community Center. Thrill the World Eugene, donning zombie makeup, will join thousands of people across the globe who will be re-enacting “Thriller” at the very same time. And this year will be lucky number 13 for the group, which, pre-COVID, would have over 300 zombies dancing to one of Jackson’s most famous songs. Thrill the World Eugene’s zombies will be dancing for a cause; the goal is to raise $80,000 in donations for ShelterCare, an organization dedicated to providing aid for unhoused families or individuals experiencing mental illness or head injuries. Donations come from dancers and local businesses. “It’s fun. It’s silly. It just gives people a reason to get dressed up and just enjoy themselves and support ShelterCare,” says Jenette Kime, zombie dancer and SLUG queen. This spooky season, the “thing with 40 eyes” is dancing for a cause. — Pierce Baugh V

Thrill the World Eugene’s performance is 3 pm Saturday, Oct. 26, at Amazon Community Center, 2700 Hilyard Street. Donation.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!