The living dead are invited back to Downtown Brainerd (Minn) for a weekend of gruesome fun this April 25^th and 26th. To kick off the DTB Zombie Crawl event in grand zombie style the Sunshine Kitchen Moonshine Lounge will host a kickoff party Friday night April 25^th beginning at 9pm. This new addition to the event will include a zombie fashion show, zombie drink specials, prizes, and music by Dead Larry.

Adam Brown Photography

The Safe Zone is another new addition to the event and will be located in the parking lot next to the Blue Ox. This area will offer music, activities, and be where officials judge the costumes and award the prizes. In addition to the safe zone there will be a zombie registration and information center located at 706 Laurel St. in downtown Brainerd. This building will be signed and staffed from 8am -10pm so people have a central place to get event information. Registration fee is a non-perishable food item.

All New this year is the Zombie Horror Trail, Directed by Action Entertainment’s award winning stunt coordinator Doug Taylor.  Come out and experience a thrill you will soon not forget. Deemed as one of the most popular forms of theater in the world, the ride is interactive, with stunts special effects, swarming with zombies. Opens at the Northland Arboretum, runs every twelve minutes from 7 pm on, April 26th. This event is free to the public and family friendly!

The new Zombie Horror Trail was sponsored by the Brainerd Lions Club, an organization dedicated to helping and serving others. The Holiday Inn Express – Three Bears Water Park not only sponsored the horror trail this year but they also offered a special rate for attendees. Make the Holiday Inn Express your survivor outpost with warm food and shelter while also enjoying their indoor water park!

The family friendly Scavenger Hunt is back this year along with the Zombie Parade, costume contest, and pub crawl. Live music will enhance the pub crawl experience with several bands braving the zombie hordes that night including Dead Larry at Yesterday’s Gone, Seth Doud at the Last Turn Saloon, Lolah at Liquor Pigs, Turn Back Now at The Iron Rail, and King’s Ransom at The Blue Ox Bar.

All proceeds from this event go to support local food shelves and the event could not happen without the many sponsors and partners which include Brainerd Community Action, Visit Brainerd, Pro Build Lumber, Bob & Frans Furniture, E.L. Menk Jewelers, Employment Resource Center, 371 Diner Brainerd Lions, and the Holiday Inn Express.

Other sponsors include Totally Kidz, Glaze 2 Amaze, Fancy Pants Chocolates, Tony Powers Studios, Minnesota T’s, Cocoa Moon, Cattale’s, Sport Card Central, Picture Perfect Framing, Pain Ink, The Magic Lotus, Utrinkets, The Olde Open Window, Lash Out, Taffy’s De’cor, Empire Tattoo, & the Furniture Clearance Center with new sponsors coming on daily.

New events and additions are being added quickly and this year’s event is looking to be a big one so gather your friends, dress the part, and come join the hordes for a day of music and events, zombie style. For updated event information like the DTB Zombie Crawl Facebook page and/or bookmark www.dtbzombie.com.