GREELEY, Colo. — Monster Day, a family-friendly celebration of all things "monster," takes over downtown Greeley this weekend.
The annual Monster Day returns Saturday, Aug. 17 and features costume contests, face painting, demonstrations, music, entertainment, the legendary "Greeley Gremlin" and more.
Festival-goers are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite monster costumes or ready to enjoy everyone else's.
Although the festival takes place in August, the day is just scary as if it happened in October.
"Monster Day isn't about Halloween. It's a day to celebrate monsters," say the festival organizers from Distortions Unlimited.
Distortions Unlimited, Greeley’s famous monster makers, will be on hand with some of their monstrous creations on display.
Ed Edmunds' company has been creating lifelike monsters for 40 years.
“Monsters don’t scare me,” said Edmunds. “Bill collectors, IRS – those guys scare me.”
Edmunds has two warehouses in Greeley filled with the scary creatures.
“This business has allowed me to be this nerd kid who was taking things a little too seriously when it came to monsters. Now I’m old, but I’ve had all these incredible experiences.”
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Edmunds and his team start with sketches of aliens, monsters, ghosts and goblins, sculpt them in clay, cast them in a plaster mold, pour in latex rubber, then paint them when they’re ready.
They add motors and voices to make them look alive, and then sell them to haunted houses, horror aficionados and sometimes, even Hollywood.
“We did like some extra costumes for Batman,” said Edmonds. “We’re selling stuff to Dick Van Dyke! We’ve gone out to his house at Halloween. He loves monsters.”
Edmunds believes most monsters are simply misunderstood, but there are a few that you should probably stay away from.
“Some are misunderstood,” Edmunds said. “Some are very, very naughty.”
And he has plenty that fit the latter description, all of them call Greeley home.
“We really like it here for many reasons, you know, the cost of living, the central location, just the lifestyle,” he said.
It’s an unusual life, but one Edmund is honored to be living. He also starred in the Travel Channel’s “Making Monsters” show for three years.
“It’s been a wonderful life,” he said. “I know it’s not, like, the traditional wonderful life, the Christmas movie, but, it’s been a wonderful life with monsters.”
Ed sells and rents all of his monsters and props.
You can browse the spooky collection at DistortionsUnlimited.com.
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