The Costume Contest

New for 2026: $1,000 in free gift cards. Acai Fresh, Yolo Berry Yogurt and Upper Crust Baking have put up $250, $250 and $500 in gift cards for this year's contest, on the house. Show up in a costume the judges love and you could walk away with one.

Show up in a costume the judges love, and you could walk away with one of the festival's 50-plus prizes, everything from Yoloberry Yogurt gift cards and Walking Dead posters to boxes of classic Halloween cereal, glow-in-the-dark T-shirts, family axe-throwing kits and, for the adults, Walking Dead-branded wine or Voodoo Ranger IPA.

Judging is informal and roams the park all day; there is no stage or sign-up required, just "secret zombie judges" on the lookout. The minimum bar to enter is low by design: some kind of zombie makeup or mask, marks of stitches or red blood at minimum, torn or tattered clothing encouraged but not required.

What judges tend to notice

Past standout costumes have ranged from a ten-year-old's $2 homemade face paint to giant seven-foot zombie figures that chase kids down the greenbelt, matching family sets, zombies on stilts, and a full Red Carpet Showcase's worth of aliens, witches and skeletons at the Zombie Ball. There is no single formula for what wins; effort, humor and a genuine commitment to looking undead all seem to count more than an expensive costume budget.

Tips

• Judges roam throughout the day, not just at one scheduled moment, so wear your full look the whole time.
• Face painting and makeup help are available at the Makeup Station if you arrive without one.
• Group and family costumes have a strong track record in past years.