Melvindale resident Robert William Martineau (left), 12, channels his inner “Jason” as he hams it up with Kris Wikman, 12, and Lee Cudahy, 12, also of Melvindale, and Madalyne Hofman, 11, of Wyandotte, during the Oct. 5 Zombie Apocalypse at Lincoln Park’s Memorial Park.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK – An idyllic autumn day greeted both the living and undead at the city’s Zombie Apocalypse Oct. 5 at Memorial Park, with live music, bounce houses, and food and merchandise vendors.
William Newhouse of River Rouge, otherwise known as Gramps with Lamps, said people were interested in his skull-adorned, hand-decorated lamps.
Zombie Brian Chafins of Lincoln Park is ready to lend an extra hand during the Oct. 5 Zombie Apocalypse at Lincoln Park’s Memorial Park.
“They like it – they always tell me it’s something different,” he said. “I sell a lot of horror ones, and I sell a lot of comic characters.”
Gramps with Lamps will also be at the How-To Halloween Festival Oct. 19 in Lansing.
Zombie Brian Chafins of Lincoln Park said he was a big fan of Halloween.
“I always have fun with the kids and decorate the yard,” he said, admitting that he is a kid at heart.
He said he dresses up in a scary costume to greet trick-or-treaters.
“That’s the best time to do it,” he said with a chuckle.
Joel Coleman, 7, of Lincoln Park, who was dressed as a skeleton, said the bounce houses were the best part of the event.
“I get to play with my friends, and my mom lets me wear my costume,” he said.
His mother, Amber Coleman, said it was fun for her to dress up in a costume as well, and watch her son have fun with his friends.
“We went trunk-or-treating earlier, and we did the s’mores around the campfire,” she said. “We did the spooky stories and the sing-along, we went to the vendors, and we have been at the bounce houses a lot.”
Savannah Walsh of Lincoln Park said his 4-year-old son, A.J., also enjoyed the bounce houses, having fun and expending a lot of energy.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” she said.
Music soothed the savage beasts during the Oct. 5 Zombie Apocalypse at Lincoln Park’s Memorial Park.
Mayor Tom Karnes said the campfire and sing-a-long earlier in the day were popular with families with young children, as were the Halloween-themed story time and s’mores.
The zombies from the Jaycee haunted house in the old city hall in Wyandotte were supposed to invade the event, but Karnes said they claimed to have gotten lost when trying to find the site.
An Alice Cooper tribute band was scheduled to perform at the bandshell, as were several other impersonators.
“Last year it had to be inside due to the weather and the rain,” Karnes said, looking appreciatively at the sunshine. “We’ve got plenty to eat over here at the food trucks.”
He said earlier, inside, there was pumpkin bowling, and the 130 pumpkins available for painting were all claimed by participants.
“It was all kid-friendly at the beginning, and we are going into some entertainment for the adults later on,” Karnes said. “Maureen (Tobin) does a great job doing this, and it was her idea, her baby, and its has been growing up since then.”