Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series exploring the different aspects and history of the Athens Halloween Block Party.
As thousands of partygoers eagerly anticipate the annual Halloween Block Party, local bands salivate at the opportunity to snag one of the 10 coveted spots on the party’s two stages.
“It’s great exposure to play in front of thousands of people, even though not all of them are listening,” said Jack Gould, saxophonist for Sassafraz and a three-time veteran of the Halloween stage. “It’s a way bigger crowd than you could ever fit inside a bar or anywhere else in Athens; it’s obviously a great jumping-off point for local bands.”
Jonathan Holmberg, chairman of the Clean and Safe Halloween Committee, has been booking the bands for the event for more than 20 years and said he tries to pick from local groups.
As a bartender at Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, Holmberg sees a lot of different groups pass through town, so when it comes to booking, he has a large pool of bands to pluck from.
“I think it should be a showcase of our local talent,” he said. “(The block party) has a reputation and a tradition that people nationally actually become attuned to.”
The music side of the celebration carries a $5,000 price tag, which covers the stage setup and equipment for the night. All the workers and bands volunteer their time, but the musicians say the recognition and opportunity to play in front of such a large crowd serve as payment enough.
“It’s a grind,” Gould said. “There are a lot of (bad) days, and you need those shows like Halloween to make you feel like you’re doing something.”
Music was not always a part of Halloween in Athens. In the ’70s, the celebration was less of an organized event and more a tradition of students flooding the streets without the city’s permission.
In 1977, after two years of riots and street takeovers, the city stepped in and turned the drunken revelry into a formal event, according to an Athens News article.
In the mid ’80s, music was thrown into the mix, and a new tradition was born. Holmberg was there that first year and assisted in booking talent for the music stage, which was located behind Court Street Diner, 18 N. Court St.
“When I was an OU student, you basically just got (messed) up and just walked from one bar to another,” Holmberg said. “So in the early ’80s, my friends and I said, ‘Why don’t we put a bandstand up or do something?’”
While the stage had a brief stint near Cornwell Jewelers, 77 N. Court St., by the late ’80s, it had found its present location at the intersection of Court and State streets. In 2000, it was christened the North Stage when a second stage was erected at the intersection of Court and Union.
“Getting the two bandstands at opposite ends of Court Street was another big improvement that mellowed out the crowd because you have two focal points,” Holmberg said. “When we had the one stage … it created a horribly dangerous situation with moshing and crowd surfers. Crowd surfing’s fun, until they drop you on the bricks.”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
