Asbury Park Zombie Walk kicks off spooky season at the Jersey Shore
Thousands of costumed zombies packed the Asbury Park boardwalk for the annual Zombie Walk on Saturday, transforming the beachfront into a sea of the undead as Halloween season gets underway.
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It was anything but a typical day at the Jersey Shore.
Thousands of costumed zombies packed the Asbury Park boardwalk for the annual Zombie Walk on Saturday, transforming the beachfront into a sea of the undead as Halloween season gets underway.
"I was trying to get my bagel out of the toaster with my knife. And then I just got electrocuted and now I'm dead. I'm just walking around now, and I don't know what to do," one participant joked while staying in character.
For many, preparing for the event is no small feat. Some spend days perfecting their costumes before stepping into the crowd.
The walk gives participants a chance to showcase their creativity through elaborate costumes and backstories.
"My costume is stormy weather on this windy day," one attendee explained.
Another participant brought an imaginative twist to the event.
"I am a deranged little girl, and this is the claw machine where all the animals have come to life and are zombies and are ready to come out and attack everybody who comes to the zombie walk."
For those who needed help creating the perfect undead look, makeup artists were on hand with fake blood, special effects makeup and plenty of gory finishing touches.
Now in its 18th year, the Asbury Park Zombie Walk has become a local tradition, drawing thousands of people to the shore on the first Saturday of October to celebrate the start of spooky season.
"I've been coming since I was a kid. She came for the first time last year at two months old. So it's been nice. I've always come with family, and now we get to come with all our friends," one attendee said.
"We live for Halloween," another participant added.
Some say the event's lasting appeal comes from the sense of community it creates
"It's something that people come and they do together. They bring out the creativeness. Even though it's zombies and it's gory and it's a little crazy, people really do love it. And people really do have a camaraderie for it."
A Shore tradition that comes back from the dead every October, keeping spooky season alive in Asbury Park.
