No, you weren’t dreaming. There really were zombies at Maymont.

It’s still six months to Halloween, but hordes of zombies were seen lumbering around Maymont recently. We’re used to the annual Zombie Walk in Carytown, but one of the city’s most popular parks?

Apparently, AMC like the location and decided to film some of its series The Walking Dead: World Beyond right there among the gardens, goats and great views of Maymont. I wonder if zombies enjoy Japanese and Italian gardens?

The show, a spin-off of the original Walking Dead series, focuses on the first generation of children to grow up during the zombie apocalypse. This is the second season; the first season of the show aired in fall of 2020. Stars Julia Ormond, Nicolas Cantu (you may recognize him as the voice of Gumball in The Amazing World of Gumball), Alexa Mansour, and Aliyah Royale. The zombies were also seen at Regency Square mall on an earlier date.

While it might seem a contradiction to the atrocities of a zombie apocalypse, Maymont’s wide open fields, beautiful views, and grassy areas probably do make a good location for clambering, plodding, and trudging (or whatever it is that zombies do).

The 100-acre park was a gift to the city of Richmond by the Dooley family. There’s a nature center, a petting zoo, a bear and eagle habitat, Japanese and Italian gardens, and the Victorian-era Dooley mansion (which we hope wasn’t invaded by the zombies – we’re pretty sure it was safe)

Suzy Rohler, a spokesperson with Maymont, said, "Maymont’s grounds and gardens are open from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. every day. While we can’t speak to specific partnerships, there’s always a lot going on for folks to see at Maymont and we encourage everyone to come enjoy the 100 acres!”

Matt Negrete, show writer and co-creator (along with Scott M. Gimple), posted this on Instagram …

From the Maymont Civic League ... 

Richmond has its share of brushes with Hollywood. Does anybody remember when Daniel Day-Lewis, James Spader, and Steven Spielberg were spotted around town during the filming of Lincoln? What about Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird) or Rob Lowe and Ginnifer Goodwin (Killing Kennedy)? Other movies filmed in Richmond include The Jackal, Hannibal, Dave, and Dopesick, the Hulu limited series starring Michael Keaton (which isn’t out yet, but we’re patiently waiting).

Did you happen to be at Maymont during the Walking Dead zombie invasion? Are you a fan of the original show? Let us know in the comments.