City officials responded Wednesday to a student movement to combine elements of two of Madison's biggest parties - Freakfest and the Mifflin Street Block Party - into one celebration for a Halloween block party on Mifflin Street Saturday.
Joel Plant, aide to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, acknowledged that the mayor's office is aware of the effort, but stressed that no street-use permits have been taken out and any party on Mifflin Street Saturday is not an official city event. Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, said his biggest concern with having an unofficial party on Mifflin Street is the safety of attendees.
Judge said it takes months of preparations to create a glass-free zone and put protections in place to ensure student safety during the spring Mifflin Street Block Party. Floodlights and an increased police presence were even staples of pre-Freakfest Halloween on State Street.
Judge said these amenities would be crucial to a safe night on Mifflin - which he described as one of the darkest streets downtown - but that they might not be available in light of a larger, official event.
I don't see [police] having a whole lot of patience with this, especially with a lot of the police force being used on State Street to help cover [Freakfest],"" Judge said.
Madison Police Department Central District Captain Mary Schauf said this year's effort to create an alternative Halloween party is reminiscent of an attempt to move Freakfest to Langdon Street in 2006, the first year the event became city-sanctioned.
Schauf said police always expect house parties in student neighborhoods throughout downtown and will also be patrolling those areas. She encouraged partygoers to be safe and cautious, regardless of their decision to partake in Freakfest or an alternative event.
""We just ask that people plan and they plan safely,"" Schauf said.
