Although partygoers saw fewer police officers, Palmer Place security staff monitored the event.
The beer was flowing during Friday night’s Palmer Place Fest, despite cold and rainy weather.
“I saw people pouring beer off the third level into people’s mouths on the first,” Shelby Derper, a junior studying broadcast journalism, said.
Besides the weather, a lack of law enforcement was apparent at this year's fest at the Palmer Place apartment complex.
“I like it 'cause there’s less cops,” Rachel Nagy, an undecided freshman, said.
Although fewer police officers were present, Palmer Place security staff was on hand to monitor the event. Dale Gibson, a security worker for Palmer Place, said fest goers were more controlled than in previous years.
“It’s been good so far,” Gibson said. “Last year, we had problems with structural damage inside of apartments, but this year, people are being good.”
The tiered style of the Palmer Place apartments created a unique party atmosphere, Michael Bogdanski, a freshman studying education, said.
“It’s obviously different,” Bogdanski said. “Other fests are an entire block. This is just compact.”
A noticeable absence from last year's fest was the grass terrace in the courtyard of the complex. The new concrete terrace made some students uneasy, including Sarena Scales, a sophomore studying marketing.
“I miss the grass,” Scales said. “I’m afraid if I get really drunk and fall, I’m gonna hurt myself.”
A new addition to Palmer Place Fest was a merchandise table, run by 2014 OU graduate Taylor Van Neste. Van Neste had Palmer Fest t-shirts for sale.
“When I went to college, I had no fest memorabilia, so I started my own company partyuniversity.co,” Van Neste said. “I’ve got Mill Fest, High Fest, and Palmer Fest shirts.”
Around 7:20 p.m., a light rain began to push people from out of the courtyard and into apartments. Taylor Heusman, a senior studying child and family studies, put on a panda onesie to keep warm.
“I think it’s really awesome to be a panda, especially when they play the song Panda,” Huesman said. “I think (Palmer Place is) the best fest in Athens, Ohio.”
Patrick Ballow, a freshman studying international business and finance, said the craziest thing he saw at the fest was "a guy dressed as a zebra jump off a balcony."
Haley Davoren, a sophomore studying commercial photography, said Palmer Place Fest has its advantages over other fests.
"It's pretty cool," Davoren said. "It's definitely more chill than Mill or High."
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