Officers direct partygoers off the section of High Street between West State and West Carpenter after a small trash fire late Saturday night. (Dustin Lennert | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Police shut down High Fest late Saturday night after students briefly took over and trashed a section of the road.
Athens police shut down High between West State and West Carpenter after students reportedly began throwing cans and bottles into the street.
The Athens Fire Department extinguished a small fire that consumed trash, chairs and furniture on that section of High, said Chief Robert Troxel.
As pouring rain soaked the street at 11 p.m., students began sweeping broken glass, plastic cups and beer cans from the road outside 91 High St. Officers warned residents not to let others onto their porches.
Students approached by The Post at 11 p.m. weren't willing to give their names. Lt. Dave Williams of the Athens Police Department was unavailable for comment late Saturday night. Officers said he would be available in the morning.
Speaking at 5 p.m., before the fire, Williams said High Fest is generally more mellow than other fests.
Sometimes students will take over the street
but (police) will generally patrol through during the night and ask them to get back on the sidewalks Williams said.
Students and police met last week to discuss High Fest, Williams said. Some students handed out literature about how to have a safe party to High Fest organizers.
Try and keep the noise level down. We want you to experience the social event but not a dangerous event which includes fires
and throwing things and getting too intoxicated
he said.
Williams said he had not seen any undercover liquor agents, but added that the Ohio Department of Liquor Control does not inform the local police when or if agents are coming.
Usually we hear about it when they arrest someone.
Students swarmed High Street several times during the night, dancing to the music coming from the surrounding houses.
At about 9:30 p.m., Leah Hutchins, an Ohio University sophomore studying education, said she began dancing because of the awesome music and declared High Fest to be one hundred percent fabulous.
Saturday's block parties on High and Ark streets were the first spring fests of 2010. Students traditionally throw about six booze-soaked fests each year.
Last year's bash on Palmer Street turned into what police described as a near riot. Revelers lit several fires on the street and pelted firefighters and police with bottles as they tried to extinguish the blaze. Police eventually donned riot gear and cleared the street by force.
The disturbance prompted the City Council to propose several ordinances designed to limit noise and restrict rooftop activity. The proposed measures have drawn strong opposition from students.
- Dave Hendricks contributed to this report
Debris litters the section of High Street between West State and West Carpenter after a small trash fire late Saturday night. (Dustin Lennert | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Elizabeth Lundblad
