The most unforgettable party of the year takes place right on Court Street, and students dress for it in the most ridiculous outfits.
Each October, Athens officials block off Court Street, only for it to be filled with partygoers from colleges and universities throughout the region. Local musicians and DJs perform on two stages, placed appropriately at either end of the street for partiers to dance through the night.
Unlike most spring fests, the Halloween party is city-sanctioned, meaning the city and university work together to promote a safe environment for attendees and organize musical acts to perform.
Athens City Council members usually pass a package of ordinances each year to clear the streets and suspend the noise ordinance, among other things.
The university takes extra safety precautions on Halloween weekend, requiring all students to wear wristbands in order to get back in to their dorms. Non-OU students who want to stay with a student who lives in a dorm room have to purchase a wristband and register with the university before the event. Resident assistants monitor the entrances to dorms and check for wristbands all weekend.
Since the party is located in the middle of the street, the number of arrests tends to be higher than it is at some of the spring fests.
In 2012, the Ohio Investigative Unit and the Athens Police Department made 123 arrests, down from 2011, when the two agencies and the Ohio University Police Department made 148 arrests.
Arrests at the Halloween party are typically for underage possession or consumption of alcohol, said Julie Hinds, spokeswoman for the Ohio Investigative Unit.
Jonathan Holmberg, chairman of the Athens Clean and Safe Halloween Committee, previously told The Postthat the 2012 block party was a great success.
“The bands were great,” Holmberg said. “Anyone I spoke to said they were very happy with how things had gone.”
az346610@ohiou.edu
