You can’t keep a good corpse down in Saugerties

Photo by Mookie Forcella.

The third Village Invasion Zombie Crawl in Saugerties will hit the streets on Saturday, October 20 from 6 to 10 p.m., and it promises to be the biggest one yet.

Captain Cruella of the Carnivorous Cadavers, as she’s called by the hordes of zombies who flood the village streets each year, is known to a select few by her human name, Jaimee Moxham. But even when she’s not leading armies of the undead, Moxham is becoming increasingly recognizable on the street.

“I feel like people just know about it,” she said. “I went to the Kingston Farmers’ Market last week, just handing out flyers. I wasn’t dressed as a zombie, but people knew me. I was getting posters copied and people knew.”

That recognition means that the Village Invasion is a hit. And that’s good news for two local groups, as this year’s event will be a fundraiser for the Saugerties Food Pantry and the Small World Revitalization Committee.

Participants are being asked to bring canned goods to benefit the Saugerties Food Pantry. “We’re trying to restock the Saugerties Food Pantry,” Moxham said. “Because of last year’s flooding, it really wiped out so much of it, with all these people who lost their homes. We’re trying to give back a little bit.”

In lieu of a canned goods donation, a $2 participation fee is also acceptable, with all proceeds going to the Small World Revitalization Committee, whose goal is to renew and rebuild the Saugerties playground in time for its 20th anniversary in 2014.

The Village Invasion will also feature a musical performance at 7 p.m. by Lara Hope and Tigeriss, a costume contest and dinner and drink specials at restaurants and bars throughout the village. And for the first time, village streets will be closed for the event. “It’s getting much bigger, and we’re always worried the undead will become the really undead,” Moxham said.

Moxham said that she believed that there could be anywhere between 3,500 and 4,500 zombies participating in the pre-Halloween bash. “The first year it was just me, and 1,500 people showed up,” said Moxham, who has expanded her operation to include others in what might be described as a creepy committee.

And if things continue growing for the Zombie Invasion, perhaps it will expand even further. “I’d love to have a film festival eventually,” said Moxham. “The Orpheum is right there.”

Village Invasion III comes to Saugerties on Saturday, October 20 from 6 to 10 p.m., though Moxham said that many bars and restaurants will be open even later to serve your undead needs. For more information, call (845) 399-3390 or e-mail captaincruella@gmail.com.