Photos by Ashley Gistinger
Zombies descended upon the Duce, where the first-ever undead king and queen were chosen for the premiere zombie homecoming party, to kick off Zombie Walk 5 on Friday night.
Downtown Phoenix Partnership hosted the soiree, along with 98KUPD, Phoenix New Times, Arizona Ghostbusters, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, Heritage and Science Park, the Arizona Science Center, the city of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department and Rosson House Museum.
“We didn’t really know what to expect,” said R.J. Price, Senior Director of Marketing for the Downtown Phoenix Partnership. “But our vision for what this was going to be actually came true. People are having a good time and enjoying interacting with the celebrities.”
To receive the title of zombie king and queen, the candidates had to not only work the fright factor, but answer pageant-like questions on stage in order to impress the judges. After the painfully slow process of meandering zombie-style onto the stage, they answered questions regarding their passion for the walking dead.
Price told the judges it was important to pick the best zombie because not only will they be the first winners of the title, they will be representing downtown Phoenix in one of the biggest events of the year, leading the undead horde of more than 10,000 people through downtown Phoenix during Zombie Walk 5 on Oct. 26.
Michael “The Grave Digger” Aguirre and Breanna Reeser won the honor of the crown.
“I feel all the hard work has finally paid off,” said Aguirre in a muffled, groaning voice. “The Grave Digger rules all.”
Aguirre, in character as the Grave Digger, shuffled around the entire night with cosmetic rotted skin and a shovel he used as a staff, complete with a row of human skulls. Reeser, gruesome-looking with makeup to make half of her face appear torn off, wore a bright blue stereotypical high school homecoming dress covered in gore.
“I love Halloween, costumes and makeup,” Reeser said. “We just want to get more people involved.”
The rest of the court consisted of Brian Dobschuetz, Isis Huerta, Christy McGaugh, Brandon Reeser, Kelly Kemp, Nikki Otjen, Michael Bedore, Sydoney Banks, Sara Haasis, Jesse Perry and Mary Cornes.
“They are undeadly terrifying,” grumbled Otjen, who held a dark sense of zombified humor throughout the night. “The competition is definitely stiff. We sure are smelling the place up, aren’t we?”
The event created a sprawling, illuminated setting of zombified decor, including blood-spattered banners and apocalyptic ornamentation. Amid this classic high school-homecoming-dance ambiance, however, the reanimated were the highlight of the event. The undead relived their awkward teenage zombie years with shuffled dancing. Like any high school dance, it started off slow, with a few zombies sitting on the caution tape-strewn bleachers. The beats picked up when dance group Danse Macabre lit up the room with their moves.
Between the dancing, award-winning makeup artist and ASU student Casey Kaki did a zombie-makeup presentation on John Holmberg, host of KUPD’s “Holmberg’s Morning Sickness.”
“I’m a little worried,” Holmberg said before transforming into a zombie. “I’ve never had someone say they’re going to do a presentation on my face.”
This event also benefited the St. Mary’s Food Bank, and zombies were asked to bring canned items for the cause. According to Sam Jackson, Community Services Director for the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, the event accumulated 49 food items.
“This will pale in comparison with the zombie walk itself,” she said. “It was a great start towards collecting a metric ton. That’s what we’ve collected at each walk for the last two years.”
Editor’s note: The Downtown Devil’s community editor, Brandon Kutzler, participated as a judge at the zombie homecoming.
Contact the reporter at rebecca.brisley@asu.edu
