This year Palmer Fest sees a 72 percent increase in arrests from 2014.
Six years ago, Ohio University alumna Shelby Scott witnessed her friend jump over the infamous “Oaktober Fest” flaming couch.
Scott returned to Athens for Palmer Fest 2015 — which she added was her last fest — and said the fests have “mellowed out” since her time at OU. She even remembers the 2012 Palmer Fest when local law enforcement declared the event a riot, and brought in armed vehicles to maintain the rowdy students.
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A year later, law enforcement cracked down on monitoring the fests, leading to a drastic decrease in arrests. In 2012, Palmer Fest accumulated 124 arrests from Ohio University Police Department, Athens Police Department and Ohio Investigative Unit. In 2013, there was 74.
This year, Palmer Fest saw a 72 percent increase in arrests from 2014.
Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle said his department takes fest season year by year.
“It’s hard to make any predictions,” Pyle said.
Pyle said this year’s crowds were some of the largest they’ve ever seen, adding it was the attendance that drove the stricter enforcement this year.
Palmer Fest had five houses shut down by 1:30 p.m. this year, due to a violation of the city’s Nuisance Party Ordinance, Pyle said in a previous Post report.
“If each one of those was smaller and more controlled, we would not have responded with a nuisance party enforcement,” Pyle said.
Fests get amplified as more people accumulate and create a more “out-of-control” feeling, Pyle said.
While Palmer Fest saw an increase in arrests, Mill Fest had approximately 30 percent fewer arrests than last year.
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High Fest had 33 total arrests last year. The Ohio Investigative Unit recorded 28 arrests from High Fest this year — OUPD and APD did not have 2015 numbers as of press time.
APD Captain Ralph Harvey added that some fest goers now have a better understanding of the rules.
“Social media has grown to the point where people realize there are repercussions for things that get posted,” Harvey said.
The realization that a videotape of one’s keg stand could make it to an employer's eyes has fest goers reconsidering their actions, Harvey said.
Along with the fluctuating arrest numbers, this year’s fest weekend weather fluctuated with every weekend.
Noah Wilkinson, an undecided freshman said he didn’t think the rainy atmosphere would slow down the Mill Fest activities, according to a previous Post report.
“Almost all these fests are starting out with good intentions,” Pyle said. “By the time they've been drinking four hours and two of the 10 kegs are gone, they care less.”
@Fair3Julia
