ZombiCon and Dark Arts Exhibition coming downtown
BY CARL-JOHN X _VERAJA Florida Weekly Correspondent

COURTESY PHOTO The opening credits for George Romero's "Day of the Dead" filmed in downtown Fort Myers.

In 1983, George Romero filmed "Day of the Dead" in Fort Myers and Sanibel Island for obvious reasons. Consider Ben Bald, downtown zombie. They called him Rinse Cycle…after the "accident."

Bald spoke about the incident.

"There was a time when sushi was the pinnacle of my desires," said Bald, plucking some browning lettuce from the back of his eye socket. "I had been a food critic. It wasn't until I was trapped inside a dishwashing machine at the Morgan House and brutally cleansed to death that my taste for living human flesh and brains took hold. I prefer the brains of journalists. Tender sleeves of gray matter and textured serial comma wrinkles. All of which explains my accursed existence, water-logged skin and lemony fresh scent. Could you pass the spinal fluid?"

Somewhat in celebration of Romero's flick, due to a "worldwide microtrend" and a need for another downtown event, with a helping of Halloween to boot, Janet "the Planet" DeMarco organized Zombicon '07. It will play out at the Patio de Leon on Saturday, Oct. 20 in conjunction with the opening of the Dark Arts exhibition at the Space 39 gallery, a sponsor of Zombicon.

COURTESY PHOTO A photo taken by extra Tim Smith between scenes on the set of "Day of the Dead" in 1983.

It's also a big costume party so don't be embarrassed to go zombie.

Terry Tincher, owner of Space 39, explained why he wanted to be involved.

"Well, the development of downtown is very event-driven," Tincher said. "…we don't have the retail to bring down the retail customers. We're hoping and planning on having a designated entertainment district down here once the high rises get built and the businesses get up and rolling. …there was no signature Halloween event…it would be a good signature event for downtown."

Other sponsors include All-Out Bail Bonds, radio station 99X, Envie Lounge, Patio 33 and Needful Things.

What is it about zombies?

"Well, zombies have taken on meaning," Demarco said. "We're zombies at our jobs. Doing the same things. There's so many different interpretations of zombies. Of course, all the different folklore of zombies. It's just a cluster of all different zombie stories…Zombicon basically means 'congregation of zombies'."

COURTESY PHOTO Zombies invade Hendry Street in downtown Fort Myers in the 1983 "Day of the Dead."

Demarco termed it a "worldwide microtrend."

"It's in London, New York, ours," said DeMarco. "And they even have it in Zurich. What's cool about our town is George Romero's 'Day of the Dead' was filmed down here…We will have the event next year and I'm sure we can get George to come on down."

Romero won't make it this year, however.

There will be a lot of action at Zombicon '07: fire dancers, two DJs doing Zombie a-Go-Go with Zombie Go-Go girls, reggae band Cosmic Vibe from New York, the Kiss Me Tell Me Make-up group (who will zombiefy you if you aren't in costume), Space 39's featuring of works by local artist Vyd, Gerard Damiano, national artists and brain-d'oeuvres.

Gerard Damiano's father was the director of "The Devil in Miss Jones" and "Deep Throat."