The State Street Halloween Party, renamed Freakfest in 2006, is an annual city-sponsored Halloweenfestival in Madison, Wisconsin. It is considered the largest Halloween festival in the Midwest.[3]
State Street Halloween Party
State Street Halloween Party, Madison, WI, October 2005
Freakfest is a gathering place for tens of thousands of party-goers, many dressed in Halloween costumes.[4] Most attendees are students from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and their guests, but others come from across Wisconsin and elsewhere. Before the city began charging admission, the festival saw crowds of up to 100,000 and a plethora of riotous behavior; but in recent years the crowds have been a fraction that size and have remained largely peaceful.[5][6]
The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic,[7] and again in 2021 for the same reason.[8] In 2022, Madison's Central Business Improvement District announced that Freakfest would again be cancelled, citing difficulties in funding and support. District 4 alderman Michael Verveer stated, "There's a good chance as of now that we've ended the Freakfest chapter of a long State Street Halloween history".[9]
History
In 1977, a group of UW Madison students started a block party on Halloween night. As it would come to be known, the State Street Halloween Party consisted of thousands of costumed partygoers packing the streets and consuming alcohol. The student government began to sponsor the event as a fundraiser in 1979. However, when the legal drinking age changed in 1986, the fundraising ceased as their primary money-making source was gone, leading to the eventual end of student government's sponsorship. From 1989 until the late 1990s, crowd size varied.[10]
By the 2000s, the event's size grew significantly and largely culminated in rioting resulting in vandalism, theft, property damage, arson, and assault; resulting in hundreds of arrests costing the city of Madison thousands of dollars.[11] By 2003, the event became a point of contention in local government and was costing the city over $700,000. The cost of additional police, the potential of damage to local businesses, and the protection of the city's reputation prompted the concern of Madison leaders, some of whom suggested canceling the event altogether. In 2005, riot police used tear gas to disperse the riotous crowd of 100,000 and over 400 arrests occurred.[12]
In the summer of 2006, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz unveiled the city's plan for the upcoming Halloween events. The plan at its core consisted of blocking off State Street, charging five dollars for admission from select points of entry, and closing off the street at midnight.[13] As a result, the riotous behavior ceased as the event became a largely peaceful city sanctioned festival.[14]
In 2006, the city government officially named the event "Freakfest." The festival includes films and live performances by nationally known musical artists and in recent years has been sponsored by Mountain Dew.[15] Alcohol possession and consumption on the street are prohibited but local bars and restaurants serve Freakfest attendees.[16]
^"Freakfest 2020 Cancelled, Residents Reminded to Avoid Halloween Gatherings". cityofmadison.com. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^Langrehr, Jaymes (17 September 2021). "City of Madison cancels Freakfest for second straight year". channel3000.com. WISC-TV. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
^Rawling, Gillian (19 September 2022). "Organizers cancel FreakFest for third year in a row". WMTV - NBC15.com. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
^Brousseau, Alex (28 October 2009). "A history of the Halloween celebration on State Street". Badger Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^"Throwback photos: See 4 decades of Halloween celebrations on State Street". Wisconsin State Journal. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^Krause Hathaway, Wendy (26 October 2011). "History of Halloween at UW-Madison". Wisconsin Alumni Association. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^Rivedal, Karen (28 October 2016). "Different mindset, new tools tame Halloween on State Street". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^"freakfestmadison". Twitter.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
^Hardee, Howard (27 October 2019). "They only come out at night: Costumed revelers descend on State Street for Freakfest". madison.com. Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
state, street, halloween, party, renamed, freakfest, 2006, annual, city, sponsored, halloween, festival, madison, wisconsin, considered, largest, halloween, festival, midwest, madison, october, 2005date, varies, yearbegins7, pmends1, amfrequencyannuallocation,. The State Street Halloween Party renamed Freakfest in 2006 is an annual city sponsored Halloween festival in Madison Wisconsin It is considered the largest Halloween festival in the Midwest 3 State Street Halloween PartyState Street Halloween Party Madison WI October 2005Date s Varies by yearBegins7 00 pmEnds1 30 amFrequencyAnnualLocation s State StreetInaugurated1979 1 2 ParticipantsvariesFreakfest is a gathering place for tens of thousands of party goers many dressed in Halloween costumes 4 Most attendees are students from the University of Wisconsin Madison and their guests but others come from across Wisconsin and elsewhere Before the city began charging admission the festival saw crowds of up to 100 000 and a plethora of riotous behavior but in recent years the crowds have been a fraction that size and have remained largely peaceful 5 6 The festival was cancelled in 2020 due to concerns related to the COVID 19 pandemic 7 and again in 2021 for the same reason 8 In 2022 Madison s Central Business Improvement District announced that Freakfest would again be cancelled citing difficulties in funding and support District 4 alderman Michael Verveer stated There s a good chance as of now that we ve ended the Freakfest chapter of a long State Street Halloween history 9 History EditIn 1977 a group of UW Madison students started a block party on Halloween night As it would come to be known the State Street Halloween Party consisted of thousands of costumed partygoers packing the streets and consuming alcohol The student government began to sponsor the event as a fundraiser in 1979 However when the legal drinking age changed in 1986 the fundraising ceased as their primary money making source was gone leading to the eventual end of student government s sponsorship From 1989 until the late 1990s crowd size varied 10 By the 2000s the event s size grew significantly and largely culminated in rioting resulting in vandalism theft property damage arson and assault resulting in hundreds of arrests costing the city of Madison thousands of dollars 11 By 2003 the event became a point of contention in local government and was costing the city over 700 000 The cost of additional police the potential of damage to local businesses and the protection of the city s reputation prompted the concern of Madison leaders some of whom suggested canceling the event altogether In 2005 riot police used tear gas to disperse the riotous crowd of 100 000 and over 400 arrests occurred 12 In the summer of 2006 Mayor Dave Cieslewicz unveiled the city s plan for the upcoming Halloween events The plan at its core consisted of blocking off State Street charging five dollars for admission from select points of entry and closing off the street at midnight 13 As a result the riotous behavior ceased as the event became a largely peaceful city sanctioned festival 14 In 2006 the city government officially named the event Freakfest The festival includes films and live performances by nationally known musical artists and in recent years has been sponsored by Mountain Dew 15 Alcohol possession and consumption on the street are prohibited but local bars and restaurants serve Freakfest attendees 16 Attendance and arrest rates EditYear Attendance Arrests2001 60 000 to 120 000 17 0 18 2002 65 000 19 2003 65 000 Fri 40 000 Sat 20 350 180 Fri 170 Sat 20 2004 80 000 21 2005 100 000 22 334 23 to 566 24 22 City government took control of the event2006 32 000 148 23 to 230 24 2007 34 000 181 55 Fri 126 Sat 25 2008 38 000 772009 44 000 47 26 27 2010 35 000 43 28 2011 25 000 30 29 2012 35 000 36 30 2013 31 000 282014 35 000 462015 37 000 92016 32 000 132017 19 000 31 112018 20 000 32 122019 20 000 33 22020 Cancelled due to COVID 19 pandemic 02021 Cancelled due to COVID 19 pandemic 02022 Cancelled due to lack of funding 0 2012 2019 data is tickets sold References Edit Dane 101 Archived from the original on 2009 10 12 Retrieved 2009 10 17 Madison s halloween history FREAKFEST MADISON concoursehotel com 25 September 2018 Retrieved 25 June 2021 Hart John 28 October 2018 Photos Freakfest 2018 madison com Wisconsin State Journal Retrieved 25 June 2021 Channel 3000 Archived 2009 10 22 at the Wayback Machine The Daily Page Archived 2011 03 17 at the Wayback Machine Freakfest 2020 Cancelled Residents Reminded to Avoid Halloween Gatherings cityofmadison com 15 October 2020 Retrieved 26 January 2021 Langrehr Jaymes 17 September 2021 City of Madison cancels Freakfest for second straight year channel3000 com WISC TV Retrieved 23 September 2021 Rawling Gillian 19 September 2022 Organizers cancel FreakFest for third year in a row WMTV NBC15 com Retrieved 19 September 2022 Brousseau Alex 28 October 2009 A history of the Halloween celebration on State Street Badger Herald Retrieved 26 January 2021 Throwback photos See 4 decades of Halloween celebrations on State Street Wisconsin State Journal 23 October 2019 Retrieved 26 January 2021 Krause Hathaway Wendy 26 October 2011 History of Halloween at UW Madison Wisconsin Alumni Association Retrieved 26 January 2021 Channel 3000 Archived 2011 05 22 at the Wayback Machine Rivedal Karen 28 October 2016 Different mindset new tools tame Halloween on State Street Wisconsin State Journal Retrieved 26 January 2021 freakfestmadison Twitter com Retrieved 26 January 2021 Hardee Howard 27 October 2019 They only come out at night Costumed revelers descend on State Street for Freakfest madison com Wisconsin State Journal Retrieved 25 June 2021 Halloween Homecoming relatively tame Criminal activity low on Halloween night the Daily Cardinal University of Wisconsin Madison Archived from the original on 2011 09 27 Retrieved 2009 11 03 Police will not take sole ownership for Halloween Riot a b Halloween crowds turn chaotic the Daily Cardinal University of Wisconsin Madison Archived from the original on 2011 09 27 Retrieved 2009 11 03 Officials revisit Halloween nights a b http www dailycardinal com article 17691 dead link a b Arrests down for 2nd year in a row a b Success Far fewer arrests no pepper spray give city reason to celebrate One day later Police itemize Halloween crimes Wisc Tv 44 000 attend Freakfest in Madison Wisc Tv Fewer Arrests at Freakfest This Year Freakfest FAQ Rolain Connor 30 October 2017 Freakfest Attendance Drops MPD Reports No Serious Incidents The Daily Cardinal Retrieved 26 January 2021 What to know ahead of Freakfest this Saturday NBC WMTV 22 October 2019 Retrieved 26 January 2021 Devore Molly 27 October 2019 20 000 tickets sold for Madison s 2019 Freakfest Badger Herald Retrieved 26 January 2021 Coordinates 43 4 29 4 N 89 23 34 W 43 074833 N 89 39278 W 43 074833 89 39278 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title State Street Halloween Party amp oldid 1111365462, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
