WARNING: Zombies to invade Asbury Park this weekend

[Red Solo Cup 11]

http://www.nj.com/mo...is_weekend.html

 

ASBURY PARK – They’re coming!

With blood-drenched mouths and glazed-over eyes, thousands of zombies will slink along the boardwalk and up Cookman Avenue on Saturday. Some will be missing limbs, while others will be lugging the limbs of others on which to snack on.

They will range in ages from toddlers to senior citizens. Some of them have been planning their invasion for months. For others, it will be an impromptu public assembly of the undead.

No, this will not be the zombie apocalypse that the Center for Disease Control braced the nation for last year. It is the 5th Annual New Jersey Zombie Walk. The same walk that Guinness World Records recognized as the world’s largest gathering of zombies in 2010.

Neptune resident Jason Meehan started the zombie walk with his ex-wife Christina in 2008.

“We just thought it would be something fun to do with a group of our friends. But we also put up some flyers to invite anyone else to join us, and about 500 zombies showed up,” said Meehan, 31.

The walk has grown in scope and in popularity every year since.

The 2010 gathering that set the world record had 4,093 zombies in attendance. But last year, Meehan said, city officials estimated that the crowd was about three times that record total.

“We had set up all kinds of vendors in Convention Hall last year, but so many zombies showed up that not everyone could get in there to see them. That’s why we are going to just do everything outside this year,” said Meehan, who still organizes the free event with a only few friends “just for fun.”

“I’m very surprised. I never imagined that it would get as big as it has,” he said. “It’s pretty remarkable that this is only our fifth year and there could be more than 15,000 zombies there.”

This year’s event will also be a little shorter – one day instead of three – and earlier in the year, which will keep it from competing against other popular Halloween-themed events.

“We have held it closer to end of October in the past, but we moved it up to the beginning of the month to give zombies another chance to celebrate Halloween … another chance to perfect their costumes,” Meehan said.

The rain-or-shine event is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. with the walk expected to kick off at 5 p.m. And the zombie-themed events – including a large-scale zombie ‘Thriller’ dance and a zombie beer garden – will continue throughout the night.

And even though there will be plenty of vendors, live music and zombie-themed offerings from Asbury Park merchants, Meehan said this year’s zombies will be asked to use some brains instead of just eating them.

“The Women’s League of Voters will be on hand to register people to vote. Not to sway anyone one way or another, just to encourage them to vote,” he said. “The Central Jersey Blood Center will also be back for their ‘Undead Blood Drive.’ And Move For Hunger will be there for a zombie food drive.”

But it is the costumes – from those that are just thrown together, to those that take months to plan – that makes the event special.

Last year there were JFK and Jackie O zombies, a zombie Incredible Hulk and zombies on stilts. There were baby zombies in strollers and grandparent zombies lurching next to their zombie grandkids.

“It runs the entire spectrum,” Meehan said. “Because all it is, really, is a chance for a bunch of zombies to get together and have a great time.”

For more information about this year’s event visit: www.njzombiewalk.com

[Underdog 1,593]

Did they invite our senior senator? He doesn't even need a costume!

[Old School 611]

Did they invite our senior senator? He doesn't even need a costume!

 

Oh Sh!? Joe, I thought the DNC was holding another convention, :girlwacko:

[BlueLineFish 615]

They would starve...no brains there

[Old School 611]

They would starve...no brains there

 

Ya know...I like you...