Halloween is coming up, so that means getting ready for all of the festivities. Here are 12 common misconceptions about the Athens Halloween Block Party.
1. Not everyone is going to the block party
The block party can be overwhelming to some people, especially out-of-towners. There are a lot of other options for having a fun Halloween like going to a friend's house to avoid Court Street.
2. Open alcohol containers are not allowed
A lot of people assume that because Athens allows open containers for block parties such as Boogie on the Bricks that they will allow it for the block party. They won’t allow it. Don’t open carry. You will be arrested, almost guaranteed.
3. You will probably feel claustrophobic
With thousands of Ohio University students, Athens residents and people coming in from out-of-town, the street will get pretty busy. Around the stages will be the mostly heavily crowded areas because there are always awesome performers.
4. Bars will be be packed
A lot of people think the bars could be less crowded because of all of the festivities happening, but that is very, very wrong. Bars are always packed to the brim with people, almost more crowded than the street. Most bars even need tally counters to make sure they are not overcrowding the bar.
5. House parties are not welcome to all
Like welcome weekend, a lot of people assume house parties are a free-for-all when they definitely aren’t. The people who live there spent a lot of money and oftentimes people paid to be there. If you don’t know the hosts, odds are you will hear the phrase, “Who do you know here?”
6. You don’t need to spend a lot on a costume
Costumes do not need to be expensive, elaborate outfits. Buying a cheap onesie from Walmart or even finding something in your closet can be a great option to keep Halloween cheap. Some of the best costumes are movie characters, and you probably already own everything you need.
7. Police will be everywhere
Police officers are all over Athens the entire weekend of the block party. They even bring in officers from all across the state to help with Halloween. They will patrol on horses, walking around as well as going undercover the entire weekend.
8. Prepare for the weather
Athens' weather in the fall always confuses people. Sometimes Halloween is freezing cold, and sometimes it’s raining. Just be sure to check on the weather when planning your costume. You won’t have a fun time if you are cold.
9. You don’t need to drink to have a good time
It is a common misconception that the majority of OU students do nothing but drink, and that isn’t true. There will be plenty of opportunities to dance the night away to the performers or even people-watch.
10. Not only college-aged people go
The block party isn’t an OU event; it’s an Athens event, which means there will be families walking around, especially during the Honey for the Heart parade Saturday at 6 p.m. Also, a lot of alumni come back for the block party to relive their glory years.
11. There’s basically no cellphone service
Because thousands of people will flock to Athens for the weekend, the cell towers will be overwhelmed and cause cell service to be awful. Text messages will go through but typically much later than you wanted them to. Make sure to devise some meeting place in case your group gets separated.
12. Parking will be awful
Once again, thousands of people will be in Athens. It is hard to find a parking spot on a regular day, so on Halloween weekend it will be atrocious. Your best bet is to not even try to move your car.
