They were looking for brains — and a stiff drink.
Dozens of blood-speckled Brooklynites lurched through the streets of Williamsburg on a rainy Sunday afternoon for the ninth annual New York City Zombie Crawl. The living dead, many of whom were back for the third or fourth shuffle in as many years, said it was a surprisingly animated event.
“It is an amazing day of laughing, being ridiculous, and running around with blood everywhere,” said Elisabeth Faraone, who showed up dressed as a zombie version of Wendy from the eponymous restaurant chain, as part of a pack of zombie fast-food mascots. “Every year, it gets more extreme.”
The zombie horde rose up from Bar Matchless on the corner of Manhattan and Driggs avenues, then shuffled through McCarren Park and down Manhattan Avenue. The cannibal corpses rounded out the night with a monster bash at the Black Bear Bar on N. Sixth Street near Wythe Avenue, where skateboarders, burlesque performers, bands, and disc jockeys entertained the undead masses. The shufflers also faced off in a costume contest, with categories including “bloodiest zombie” and “sexiest zombie.”
“It is like Halloween in May,” said Brian Bricker, who came dressed as a zombie clown to match his clown tattoos.
Many of the zombies went home early because of the downpour, but said they will be back for the next crawl in the fall. The dead heads encouraged others to come along, adding that there is only one entry requirement.
“Dress however you want,” said Faraone. “As long as it has blood and gore on it, you will be part of the party.”