 "Photo: Susan Andrea")
Downtown Orlando got its own taste of horror on Friday when zombies took over the Audubon Park Garden District.
Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Zombies and the Zombie Emergency Defense, as well as spectators and those willing to pour on some fake blood and place some packaged wounds and scars on their body, crowded the area around Corrine Drive and Winter Park Road at 6:30 p.m.
The costumed crowd was there to support and participate in the first Zombietoberfest event, a project put into motion by the Audubon Park Garden District.
The APGD is a nonprofit organization that is run by local business owners and residents who work to “[strengthen] a wonderful community, while also supporting the local, indie businesses,” said Hudson Marvel, APGD chair and co-owner of Marvel Us, a marketing firm in the Garden District, said.
Zombietoberfest was just one of many Friday night events hosted by the APGD aimed at bringing new awareness and business to the sometimes forgotten strips of shops and other businesses on Corrine Drive. The event included live music, zombie costume contests and a beer walk.
“The turnout was fantastic. We had around 400 people and zombies wandering through the district,” Kat Quast, manager of the APGD, said.
Local bands The Empyres and The Majesty provided the music while various types of beer were served throughout the district.
“The costumes were amazing and everyone, for the most part, was happy and friendly…for zombies,” Quast said.
When the idea to have a zombie event in the Garden District was first discussed, Quast said she was met with skepticism and questions. The skepticism didn’t last for long, however.
“The crowd, shops and residents truly embraced Zombietoberfest,” Quast said.
Jim DeSantis, one of the spectators who embraced the idea of Zombietoberfest, along with Tom DiPaolo host an online horror film podcast at www.moviebrainrot.com.
“In Orlando, we have created a large community of horror-related avenues to express ourselves,” DeSantis said. “There is Screamfest on Oct. 9. We [also] have Cult Classics at the Enzian [theater in Winter Park]. It has gotten so big that there is talk of a horror film festival.”
Some of the costumed festivalgoers at the event participated in a zombie costume contest. Marvel said adjustments will be made to this contest next year.
“I heard afterwards that zombie contests are usually run differently, with the various contestants winning through the cheers of the crowd,” Marvel said.
UCF senior Jennifer Marvel, a history major, also helped put on Zombietoberfest. Aside from being Hudson’s wife, she is the founder of PETZ and is on the APGD’s promotion committee. She wrote some of the mock press releases for the event, volunteered during the event and even protested in front of City Hall in favor of Zombie rights a few weeks ago.
Jennifer Marvel said she was happy with the turnout, but thought they “needed a better way to direct patrons to the various beer and wine locations.”
She has already begun to think of ways to improve this part of the event next year.
“Next time we will have lists at each station and signage on the front of participating businesses to make it easier for people to make their way around,” she said.
The APGD will continue to hold events to raise money to improve their part of Downtown Orlando.
“With each [event] we work out more of the kinks so each one is better than the one before,” Jennifer Marvel said.
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