As the end of April approaches, campus is bustling with excitement for this year’s Mifflin Street Block Party. “What are your plans for next weekend?” seems to permeate every conversation I’ve had this week.
For years, the Madison Police Department and UW-Madison Police Department have been trying to shut down the event while ignoring its roots in tradition and history.
The event initially began as a protest against the Vietnam War led by the Mifflin Street Community Co-op in 1969. The mayor at the time was viewed as the embodiment of the political culture that the co-op stood against in the face of the war. The protest caused Madison to make history as the site of the first lifestyle riot in the United States, according to author Stu Levitan.
The first Mifflin sparked a change in how police approach protests, and it sparked efforts to build a better relationship between police and students so that nothing like the initial riot would happen today. The block party reminds the university each year of a well-loved tradition and the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs.
So why are Madison police trying to shut down an event so deeply intertwined with the history of the city?
Last year’s block party ended in more than 44 arrests along with property damage, injuries and overcrowding of porches. With these ever-rising numbers, Madison Police Chief Michael Hanson said last year he was committed to ending Mifflin.
Hanson has since softened his stance, a smart move given his initial comments were a far too unrealistic view of the situation. Many Mifflin residents believe that it is up to their discretion what they do in their own homes. Additionally, many students did not feel threatened by partygoers, nor did they have any problems trying to lock down their homes from unwanted people. These statements are a clear demonstration of the event as a celebration of camaraderie among the entire student body.
What’s more, Mifflin is a time for students to come together before finals week and revel in the rare warm weather. Shutting down the event would be stripping students of the opportunity to celebrate the end of the semester.
As for the state of this year’s Mifflin, it is still on. As opposed to attempting to end the event completely, police and District 4 Ald. Mike Verveer has been taking measures to promote safety instead. Police are offering themselves as a resource if needed and suggesting limiting the amount of people on one property. The block party should be secure with the 100 police officers they plan to have present.
Make no mistake, besides the push toward securing the event this year instead of shutting it down, the police will likely release another statement threatening its end after this year’s Mifflin once again. However, gradually phasing out the event would be detrimental to the culture of the university, and it could hurt the city itself. In 2023, there was an almost $2,000 increase from March to April in alcohol purchases. With the immense amount of food and alcohol potential partygoers buy, the event generates a considerable amount of revenue for Madison and its local businesses.
“During Mifflin last year, I had friends come that stayed in hotels, and we went to local restaurants and bars during the rest of the weekend,” said UW-Madison sophomore Chloe Mitzner. “I’m from Colorado, so I can only imagine how many people come from nearby areas and do the same.”
Stripping the city of one of its biggest weekends for visitors could not only be a major disappointment for students, but for business owners as well.
While its continuation is not without controversy, Mifflin is important to the culture of the university and to Madison itself. The event fosters a sense of community within the student body and allows people from all over campus to come together and celebrate the community in a way that nothing else during the year truly does.
Ava Middleton is a sophomore studying economics. Do you agree Mifflin is an essential part of UW-Madison tradition? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com
