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Beware: Time for Zombiefest

It’s set to be a spooky weekend in Marietta whether you’re in the mood for a show about vampires or partying with zombies.

The Harmar Village’s Zombiefest will be held Saturday along Maple Street, behind Harmar Elementary School and near the vehicular entrance into the lower west side at Putnam Bridge.

“We want to have this grow each year to be more encompassing of the horror genre as a whole,” explained Nathaniel Maciag, 27, of Marietta, one of the organizers of the the event. “It’s a seven-year-old event and we still have the costume contest but it’s become more with higher caliber judges, interesting vendors, live entertainment all afternoon and into the night and an indie horror film fest thanks to one of our sponsors, Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.”

Maciag said the costume competition is split into three brackets: child, teen and adult and that the judges are local independent film directors and award-winning cosplayers.

“So they’re looking for the original and unique in people’s costumes,” he explained. “We encourage people to get pretty creepy while still using their best judgment since part of the day is geared really toward kids.”

He said from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday the fest will lean to the younger mind with entertainment but as the night creeps on and a burlesque troop moves in the vibe will shift.

“We even have a Casanova Frankenstein and then a horror punk band called The Jasons coming,” Maciag explained.

Then down the street from 40 vendors and three local food trucks will be the Horror Filmfest located within the expanding location of Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.

“I’m excited to see what level people take their costumes to and it’s exciting to see the bands and vendors bring life and support into the west side,” said the shop’s owner, Chase Chovan. “We’re doing a special that day giving stick figure zombie tattoos for $25 a piece and then since I’m expanding we’re going to use the new side to host the films.”

With chainsaws and ladders moved to the side the films will play on attendees’ imaginations with titles like “The Void,” “Circus of the Dead” and “The Barn.”

The filmfest begins at 3 p.m. and run throughout the zombiefest.

Friday is also the opening night for the Mid Ohio Valley Players’ newest show, “Dracula,” a stage adaptation of the horror classic where the mysterious Count Dracula lives in England on a large estate near an insane asylum. The show is rated PG, begins at 8 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and will also run the following two weekends.

The show’s director David Offenberger could not be reached for comment Wednesday but the actors will be outside during Marietta Main Street’s First Friday event downtown enticing visitors to stop in for the show and will again be out during the Zombiefest in Harmar Saturday.

Upcoming events

¯ Friday:

¯ Opening Night for “Dracula” at the Mid Ohio Valley Players Theater at 8 p.m.

¯ Saturday:

¯ Marietta Zombie Fest: 2 to11 p.m.

¯ High Schools That Rock: 2 p.m.

¯ Horror Short Films: Night of the Slasher, The Backpage, Born Again and The Stylist; 3 p.m. at Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.

¯ Corey Hager: 4 p.m.

¯ Horror Film: The Barn: 4:30 p.m. at Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.

¯ Comedy with Joel Gant: 5 p.m.

¯ DJ Otis Driftwood: 5:30 p.m.

¯ Child Costume Contest: 6 p.m.

¯ Horror Film: Circus of the Dead: 6:30 p.m. at Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.

¯ Teen Costume Contest: 6:30 p.m.

¯ Adult Costume Contest: 7 p.m.

¯ Gypsysoul Burlesque: 8 p.m.

¯ Horror Film: The Void: 8:30 p.m. at Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.

¯ Casanova Frankenstein: 9:15 p.m.

¯ The Jasons: 10 p.m.

¯ Horror Film: Night of the Living Dead: 10:30 p.m. at Monkey’s Uncle Tattoo.

¯ Dracula at the Mid Ohio Valley Players Theater at 8 p.m.

Sources: Marietta Zombie Fest and Mid Ohio Valley Players.

Dracula

¯ Show opens Friday at 8 p.m. at the Mid Ohio Valley Players Theatre in Marietta.

¯ Additional dates include Oct. 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. and a matinee Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.

¯ Tickets are $7, $10 and $12 and available at MOVP.org, the Marietta-Washington County CVB, Marty’s Print Shop and the theater box office two hours prior to showtime.

¯ Contact the box office at 740-374-9434 for more information.

Cast:

¯ Jonathan Harker – David Scheimann.

¯ Count Dracula – Isaac “Ike” Eastwood.

¯ Female Vampire #1 – Aura Bruce.

¯ Female Vampire #2 – Sarah Drake.

¯ Mrs. Martha Westenra – Sabrina M. Dye.

¯ Mr. Henry Westenra – George Gaston.

¯ Charles (their butler) – John Geslak.

¯ Miss Lucy Westenra – Amber Smrek.

¯ Miss Mina Murray – Mara Katrina Capati.

¯ Arthur Holmwood – Sterling Mayer.

¯ Dr. Peter Seward – Mack McHale.

¯ Prof. Abraham Van Helsing – Chuck Wilcox.

¯ Attendant/Servant to Seward – Aaron Paige.

¯ Mr. Renfield – Charles Roberts.

Source: Mid Ohio Valley Players.

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