Milton Zombie Fest to kick off Oct. 19

Ghosts, goblins and grizzly ghouls are set to descend on Milton Saturday, Oct. 19, as the Milton Theatre hosts its annual Zombie Fest.

Theater director Fred Munzert said the free festival will be familiar, but also bigger and better. Much like last year, the festival will be a street party on Union Street, with the bulk of festivities taking place from Chandler Street to Federal Street. The festival itself will start at 4 p.m., but street closures will go into effect earlier to give vendors time to set up. 

Munzert said besides vendors, the festival will have an all-new freak show with performances throughout the event. The Kids Fest portion of the event, which will include bouncy houses and other children’s activities, will be in the Magnolia Street parking lot this year. Munzert said visitors are encouraged to park at the lots at Dogfish Head, Milton Elementary School and H.O. Brittingham Elementary School, and either walk or take a shuttle bus to the grounds. 

As night falls, the annual Zombie Walk will kick off at 8 p.m., with zombies making their way down Union Street from Broad Street to Federal Street. Those wishing to participate can register for free at the Milton Theatre website.

Munzert said this year’s event will also feature more food trucks, up to 12, after vendors ran out of food last year due to the large crowd. For adults, libations will be found inside the theater and at the Quayside Stage, where outdoor music will start at 4 p.m. Playing this year’s festival are Earth Jam, Lower Case Blues and Hot Sauce.

This is the second year Zombie Fest has been a street festival, and while the first year had its logistical issues with vendors getting set up and the large number of people, Munzert believes the festival will run a lot more smoothly.

Munzert said the theme of this year’s Zombie Fest is Mardi Gras, which is in keeping with the theme of all events at the theater this year, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary under Munzert’s direction. 

“It’s a dream,” Munzert said of the anniversary. “I honestly feel fortunate to be here, and I think the Town of Milton feels fortunate that it's here. I’ve done arts my whole life, [and] I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve never seen people rally behind something like this. Theaters are dying all over the country – they never revived after the pandemic. People were begging us to reopen the doors.”

For more information on Zombie Fest, go to miltontheatre.com/zombiefest.