With a history boasting two riots and one house fire, Palmer Fest is easily one of the most-talked about fests of the year. Because of that, police will be hitting the streets with expected gusto.
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If there’s one fest that’s as storied as Athens’ bricks — whether that be driven by good or bad history — it’s Palmer Fest.
Palmer Fest has previously been considered one of the craziest college parties in America, according to a previous Post report, drawing national attention for its riots in 2009 and 2010. Mayor Paul Wiehl also declared Palmer Fest a riot in 2012, when someone set a small fire inside a house on Palmer Street.
During the 2010 and 2011 spring fest seasons, about 75 Ohio University students were expelled — many of those stemming from events at Palmer Fest, according to a previous Post report.
Now, the more-mellow fest seems to be just another reason to day drink — keeping local law enforcement on its toes.
Last year, 33 people were arrested at the infamous Athens party, though that was down from the 55 arrests in 2013. Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle attributed the drop in arrests to last year’s rainy cold weather, which kept many beer-drinkers at bay.
Temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-30s Saturday, according to Ohio University Scalia Lab’s website.
For that reason, Pyle said, partygoers might turn in a tad earlier this year — making the cops’ jobs a little bit easier.
Police will begin patrolling Palmer Street at about 11 a.m., authorities said.
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“In 2013, we adopted this fest policy that we’re doing now where we forced it into a daytime event,” Pyle said. “We shut down before dark, enforce strict compliance to the nuisance party ordinance. We’ve much enhanced police presence and response, and I think we’ve impacted it culturally.”
After the house fire at Palmer Fest in 2012, which Pyle said occurred in the late afternoon, APD began pulling additional officers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and nearby agencies to cover ground at Palmer Fest it couldn’t.
State Highway Patrol Lt. George Harlow said his department has put together a “mobile field force,” that’s composed of roughly 50 officers who patrol fests.
Additionally, there will be 15 troopers patrolling nearby highways.
“In the past — this would be the third week of festivals — we have put our mounted patrol police in the queue,” Wiehl said. “We’ll probably have extra officers for Palmer Fest. It is more intense just because of the numbers and the fact that backyards turn into parking lots, so there’s not a lot of places for the people to play.”
Because the homes are closer together on Palmer Street, Pyle said alcohol-fueled events can get out of hand quickly; however, the tight-knit area makes for easier policing.
“It presents more opportunities for us to be more effective,” Pyle said.
But the officers students don’t see — undercover agents with the Ohio Investigative Unit — will also be taking strides to police underage drinking and belligerent behavior.
“For most of the fests, we operate in teams,” said Sam Love, assistant agent in charge with the Ohio Investigative Unit. “Our jurisdiction is public or private, anywhere there is a violation or an alleged violation, we’re allowed.”
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