Most days, Mill Race Park is a tranquil spot, populated with dog walkers, runners, bikers and Columbus residents enjoying the outdoors.
But in just a few days, the peaceful park will be a place to find the walking dead — zombies.
Columbus Parks and Recreation plans to turn Mill Race into a “Park of the Living Dead” on Saturday.
“Zombie runs are kind of popular,” said recreation manager Jacob Hendricks. “And I know a few years ago, the idea was brought up. … It was kind of an old idea that I thought would be fun to resurrect and kind of bring to the table and flesh out a little bit more. So we’re pretty excited for it.”
The “Park of the Living Dead” is less of an actual race and more of an “Amazing Race” style event, Hendricks said. The event starts at 7 p.m., with each group of participants entering the fray in different groups, each 10 minutes apart.
Groups visit different activity stations around the park and work to achieve survival goals for the zombie apocalypse. These include securing shelter, finding food, getting medical supplies and training with weapons — specifically, easy-pull bows with foam-tipped arrows.
“Archery is a very important skill in the zombie apocalypse,” Hendricks said. “So we’ll be training with the bows. We’ll have zombie targets set up that you have to practice with. Pumpkins always make good faux-heads that you can practice on.”
Once groups have completed these activities in whichever order they choose, the final mission is to find the cure.
According to the parks’ website, the event is intended for ages 14 and up. Hendricks said there will, naturally, be zombies present at Mill Race during the event.
“It’s not like a haunted house or anything like that, where zombies are going to be jumping out and hitting you,” Hendricks said. “But, I mean, the flier says that the park has been ‘overrun’ with the ‘shambling hordes’. And so there will be groups of zombies around the park and on the trails that, you know, the runners are definitely going to want to avoid.”
Hendricks also said that while the event is not foot race, participants should wear running shoes as they will want to move fast. He added that “costumes are always encouraged.”
In terms of COVID-19 safety, Hendricks said that all staff working at the event will wear a mask. He said that having different “heats” for the event is a precaution to keep groups somewhat separate, rather than sending them out all at once.
If participants are unable to keep 6 feet between themselves and others, they should wear a mask.
“But if you are outside and are social-distanced, you do not have to wear a mask in that situation,” he added.
The deadline to register for the event is 5 p.m. Tuesday, with the cost at $7 per person. The link to register can be found on the parks department’s website at columbusparksandrec.com.
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What: ‘Park of the Living Dead’
For: Ages 14 and up
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, participants register for different heats that start at 7, 7:10, 7:20 and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Mill Race Park, 50 Carl Miske Drive
Cost: $7 per person
How to register: Go to columbusparksandrec.com and click on "Register Online," which will take you to a site where you can click on the event, register and pick your time slot. The deadline to register is 5 p.m. Tuesday
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