Half her flesh burned away, with bones exposed, the bride sat at the bar scrolling through her smartphone.

Next to the ghoulishly betrothed, a nun sat cheerfully, while the zombie head chef of the brewpub looked on.

In the dining area, tables were filled with merry patrons both whimsical and macabre.

Downtown John Day was the scene of horror and fun on Saturday, Oct. 28, with a combined pub crawl and Halloween costume contest that lurched its way through several downtown venues.

The first-ever John Day Costume Crawl saw participants pay homage to vikings, evil clowns, the Addams Family, Popeye the Sailor Man and Col. Sanders, among many others.

The event was both a Halloween costume contest and a partnership involving the Elks Lodge and local pubs and restaurants. The costumed contestants started their creepy pub crawl at 1188 Brewing Co., made their way to the Elks Lodge, then shambled over to the Outpost Pizza Pub and Grill and Bare Bones Bar.

“I think it’s so awesome,” said Elyse Lemaire, an 1188 employee and a co-organizer of the event. “I’m so happy that we’re finally working together as a town to unify businesses and try to get people out and doing things together. I think it’s a great opportunity for all of us to grow.”

Employees of the participating establishments served drinks and also judged the costumes. The grand prize went to Amber Silva, the undead newlywed with the smartphone, who moved to Prairie City last year.

Silva’s makeup effects were decidedly Hollywood level. The realistic-looking burns, exposed bones, charred flesh and dried blood ended up a judge favorite.

“Halloween is supposed to be scary to me,” Silva said. “I have my children help me get into it so much.”

Chatting with Cathy Sanders, also of Prairie, Silva seemed to be a veteran of costume contests.

“Judges like funny (costumes), so it’s hard to win with the funny,” Silva said. “The funny is a whole different genre. It’s hard to beat. If you get a couple funny, it’s easy.”

The couples award went to Kevin Fairless and Kori Martin, both from Canyon City, who dressed as a viking couple.

There were two sets of Popeyes and Olive Oyls, on either side of the 1188 dining area. The first set sat with the vikings, and the second pair sat with Col. Sanders.

“I think it’s great,” said Joe Densberger, who came to the festivities as the founder of KFC. “It kind of gets everybody to go to all the different places.”

Shannon Adair, owner of 1188, came dressed as a chipmunk.

“It’s an activity and it makes it fun for everybody,” she said. “We’re such a small community that to have an event that kind of incorporates all of the businesses so people can come and be all together and go and support every business, it’s awesome. I think it’s fantastic that the Elks Lodge has put this together.”

Winners of the John Day Pub Crawl

Grand Prize: Amber Silva, of Prairie City for “zombie bride.”

Couples Prize: Kevin Fairless and Kori Martin, of Canyon City, for viking couple.