The 41st Halloween Block Party will feature two stages rather than three, with the Lokoween stage replacing the South Stage.
The 41st Halloween Block Party will look a little different from the two previous years.
The Lokoween stage, introduced in 2013 and sponsored by Four Loko, is moving from the parking lot between Lucky’s Sports Tavern and Attractions Hair and Nail to the intersection of Court and Union streets, thus replacing the South Stage. The North Stage will still be on North Court Street — this time near Courtside Pizza.
“Three stages were very difficult in terms of staffing and getting everything going,” Brandon “DJ B-Funk” Thompson, who is on the Athens Clean and Safe Halloween Committee, which puts on the annual block party. “(Cost) was also a big thing. Halloween is all Kickstarter and sponsorships. We’re not making a ton of money.”
The Lokoween stage will feature 11 DJs, playing from 6:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., with Thompson ending the night. The North Stage will have five bands perform from 6:30 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.
Despite the elimination of the South Stage, the amount of acts has not diminished. Thompson said previous block parties always had 10 bands for both stages, in addition to the seven or eight acts that were on the Lokoween stage. This year just shifts the majority from bands to DJs.
“I wish we could fit everybody, but for right now, this is the best format for what we have,” Thompson said. “Hopefully, we can generate more sponsorships and bring (the third stage) back. … I can imagine local bands are disappointed.”
DJ Easty, who performed last year at Independent Fest, and Chad “Black Rabbit” Vasquez, an alumnus of Ohio University and a former Marching 110 member, are two of the acts featured at the Lokoween stage.
“It’ll be very similar to what people have seen in years past with music,” Thompson said. “But if people are looking for more of the DJ stuff, they’ll have the chance to hear that stuff later into the night.”
Blond, Watch Them Rot, dadARM, LARRY and The D-Rays will perform, in that order, on the North Stage.
“It should be the same mayhem as always,” Jonathan Holmberg, chairman of Athens Clean and Safe Halloween Committee, said.
With DJs, Thompson said, more can perform in a smaller timeframe because they don’t have as much equipment or as many people as bands.
At this year’s block party, the DJs will perform for 30 to 50 minutes. The bands, however, will have an hour and 15 minutes to play, not including the time it takes each act to get its equipment on and off stage.
The decision to move the Lokoween stage was also due to its “massive” popularity last year, Thompson said.
“I, personally, liked that area … but we’ve outgrown that area and that’s a good thing,” he said. “Moving the Lokoween stage to the South Stage’s former location will help to stretch out the crowd and avoid the safety problems the enclosed parking lot had, Thompson said.
One other change to the block party this year is to its costume contest. This year, the committee is encouraging people to sign up for the contest ahead of time. Some might still be able to join day-of if space is still available.
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As the Clean and Safe Halloween Committee prepares for Halloween, Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery will host a benefit with proceeds going to the execution of the block party and the committee’s bills for lights, sound stages and security personnel, Holmberg said.
The block party does not have a budget. Everything is done through sponsorships and donations, Thompson said.
“The only things that can go wrong (at the block party) are weather and not having enough money,” Holmberg said.
Grace Hill and Elizabeth Backo contributed to this report.
@buzzlightmeryl
