With fest arrests declining each year, High Fest house parties might be shut down earlier.
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Bobcats needn’t worry where to find exercise this weekend — walking up and down High Street while juggling a heavy case of beer, wearing clothes almost certainly unfit for Ohio weather and searching for at least five seemingly-lost friends should be enough cardio for the week.
But with Mill Fest starting to be shut down just after 4 p.m. Saturday, this weekend’s exercise might be cut short.
Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle said he anticipates this weekend’s fest will be shut down before 7 p.m.
By about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, 18 Mill Street homes had been shut down and cleared, with the Athens Police Department arresting eight. Pyle said most homeowners were appreciative of the police presence, and that some even requested their parties be cleared.
“It had gotten beyond their control or out of hand,” Pyle said.
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However, High Fest typically maintains a calmer vibe than Mill Fest.
Last year, the Ohio University Police Department and the Ohio Investigative Unit arrested and cited 33 people during the fest — not including arrests made by APD, which were not reported by The Post. Meanwhile, APD, OIU and OUPD officers arrested more than 50 at this year’s Mill Fest.
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl explained those lower arrest numbers might be a result of High Street’s prominent hill.
“It’s quite a haul to get up the hill, as opposed to going down the hill,” Wiehl said. “It’s not as traveled...In general, there doesn’t seem to be as high a density of student housing there.”
Regardless, if alcohol is involved, police are anticipating a fair amount of rowdiness. High Fest parties weren’t shut down until about 5:30 last year, Pyle said, and parties could be shut down even earlier this year if partygoers are violent or argumentative with officers.
High Fest used to be the fest police worried about the least, with most parties being contained to the north end of the street. Pyle said in the past few years that has drastically changed.
“Now the parties are clear down to Bromley Hall,” Pyle said. “But geographically speaking, it’s ideal because the three blocks (of High Street) are so distinct, there really is no connection one to the next.”
Because the lawns on High Street tend to be smaller, many house parties will creep into backyards and driveways. That’s fine, Pyle said, so long as students aren’t blocking sidewalks — a surefire way to get your party shut down.
APD officers will be heading to High Street prior to the festivities to knock on doors and explain what will get parties shut down and what is considered safe behavior by the city.
“We tend not to have problems with High Street, maybe just block to block,” Pyle said.
Though High Fest has been tamer in recent years, Pyle said it’s the only fest to ever have a death occur during it. Roughly ten years ago, a house fire near Athens Middle School on High Street killed a fest-goer.
Since, police have seen more typical problems: underage drinking, overcrowding and assaults. At Mill Fest, Pyle said many homeowners received warnings for simply having partygoers block sidewalks.
“The sidewalk will be packed down on North High,” Pyle said. “Mid-High and South High are going to be terrible — but North High will be packed.”
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