MILTON/DEWEY BEACH, Del. - Zombie Fest is rising from the dead to take over Dewey Beach next month. Disagreements on event logistics caused the historically Milton event to be canceled. Nearly a dozen towns stepped in, offering up their venues to keep it alive.
Zombies have taken over downtown Milton for the past four years but this year they will instead rise in Dewey Beach. Milton Theatre Marketing Director JP La Cap says the now former host town's approval was too restricted this year for a growing festival.
"We're expecting at least 5,000 more people to come," he says. "The only thing that was approved in Milton was the closure of Union Street for the Zombie Walk and four food trucks."
Lacap says 11 towns reached out offering to help revive the zombies. The Milton Theatre decided on joining forces with Highway One Companies to bring the event to Dewey on Oct. 19.
"This year's zombie fest is going to have the favorites that everyone's come to love, including the infamous zombie walk, the zombie car show, food vendors, retail vendors, and a kids zombie zone, says Milton Theatre Advisory Board Member Peter Briccotto. "Now it's going to be in these iconic venues in Dewey Beach, the Bottle and Cork and Northbeach."
Starting at 4 p.m zombies will take over Northbeach and its parking lot. Then at 8 p.m. the zombie walk will move the crowd to the Bottle and Cork where the party will continue until 11 p.m.
"Guests 21 and older can go into the Bottle and Cork and party with 3am Tokyo, while guests of all ages can still hang out in the parking lot and have some zombie fun," Briccotto explains.
The event will also still give back to Milton charities.
"The Milton Theatre, The Milton Fire Department, The Milton Library, and the Milton community Food Pantry," says Lacap.