RECAP & PHOTOS: Zombie apocalypse hits Asbury Park!

ASBURY PARK, N.J. — They came in droves. The wooden planks of the historic boardwalk in Asbury Park were their makeshift stage. Local restaurants greeted them with open menus and eyes filled with dollar signs. Madam Marie’s granddaughter set up camp, offering her medium expertise.

It wasn’t Memorial Day. It wasn’t the Fourth of July. It wasn’t Labor Day. And these weren’t your typical tourists.

It was the New Jersey Zombie Walk and Undead Festival, a smorgasbord of bloody guts, ghoulish events and spine-tingling good times for the thousands who showed up for a piece of the horror-ible action.

The annual event, which last year broke the Guinness World Record for most zombies in one place, has become a Jersey Shore institution. The undead traipse to Asbury Park from all over the Garden State to enjoy three days of concerts, zombie-themed events and more than a few oddball diversions. This year featured an actual zombie wedding, film screenings, a zombie walk of epic proportions and appearances by celebrities from the zombie cinematic world.

The ancillary business for local restaurants and stores was palpable. Waitresses with forks sticking out of their foreheads greeted customers at boardwalk burger joints, while Asbury Lanes played host to zombie bowling. Asbury Park literally became a town fallen victim to a zombie apocalypse.

The zombie walk, which traveled down the boardwalk and into the downtown area, took place Saturday, Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. It was the highlight of the three-day festival, which was all centered around the historic Convention Hall. Vendors sold their homemade wares, while cast members from George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead greeted fans. A few actors from AMC’s The Walking Dead were also on hand.

All in all, it was a screamingly good time.

BRAINS!

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com