The annual Halloweekend celebration took place on Friday and Saturday, welcoming costumes and visitors to the area. The city also provided kid-friendly options to ensure both kids and adults could enjoy the holiday.
Friday
Halloween festivities kicked off Friday evening in Athens, with people out in troves experiencing all Halloween offers.
Olivia Fanelli, a junior studying biology pre-med, was excited to attend her third Halloween in Athens.
“I am looking forward to seeing all of the costumes and attending all of the parties,” Fanelli said.
Halloween can be costly, but OU students don’t pass up the opportunity to dress up. Fanelli said she spent around $100 for all her costumes this year.
Charlie Moffa, a senior studying outdoor recreation education, said he looks forward to wearing “stupid” costumes with his friends and loves that Halloween is lively.
“Everyone is out,” Moffa said.
Halloween is a hectic time in Athens, but Tyler Kost, a bouncer at Broney’s, said Saturday is the busiest day of the weekend.
Ashlyn Fry, a freshman studying business, was looking forward to the Halloween atmosphere.
“The whole town shuts down and everyone just gathers together for Halloween,” Fry said.
Mill Street also quickly became a conglomeration of music, drinking and costumes, with many people outside their homes, playing games and drinking.
Quintero Peoples, a visitor of OU, was outside a house on Mill Street, pregaming for the anticipated night out.
Peoples said he looked most forward to getting drunk with his friends and predicted he would see a lot of prisoner costumes.
“Prisoners, prisoners for sure,” Peoples said.
Andrew Burnett, a junior studying exercise physiology, said he enjoys how big and popular Halloween is.
“The amount of people, I like the scale of Halloween,” Burnett said. “I do not have a mission for tonight. No, just go out and have fun.”
Carter Lynn, a senior studying marketing, said the parties are his favorite part of Halloween in Athens.
“My favorite thing about Halloween in Athens is honestly the Snowcats party,” Lynn said. “Snowcats throw a pretty crazy party for it.”
Lynn also predicted that he would see a lot of prisoner costumes.
“Always the prisoners, it’s always the fraternity guys dressed up as a prisoner,” Lynn said.
Nick Conroy, a visitor from Cleveland, was excited for his first Halloween in Athens.
“Just to see my friends who go here, and then I heard it’s a pretty good party atmosphere,” Conroy said.
As the evening went on, Mill Street became busier, with costumed students traveling from parties and bars.
“OU, oh yeah, go bobcats, baby,” Peoples said.
Saturday
Saturday hosted the Halloween block party; however, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Arts, Parks, and Recreation Department helped make Court Street kid-friendly.
The department teamed up with Rural Action, Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery, the Athens County Humane Society and others to bring community fun.
Nicole Albers, a program specialist with the Arts, Parks, and Recreation Department, said this is the city’s third year doing this.
“I believe the city wanted to create more family-friendly Halloween activities for people of all ages to enjoy,” Albers said.
The city set up various Halloween activities, including carnival games, crafts, the bookmobile, the bouldering trailer, a scavenger hunt, military vehicles and candy.
Allie Sofranco, an Athens resident and mother of two, said she is glad the city is providing opportunities for kids to have fun.
“There's not much to do in Athens, so it's nice to be able to bring them out,” Sofranco said. “To bring them out and not have alcohol involved.”
Sofranco said her kids enjoyed all the activities, especially playing basketball.
Court Street also had the Athens County Children Services set up with face painting, bubbles, basketball, corn hole, bubbles and crafts for kids.
Matt Starkey, the public information officer and community events coordinator for Athens County Children's Services, said Children’s Services was happy to be invited by the Arts, Parks, and Recreation Department.
“Kids like to celebrate Halloween too, not just college students,” Starkey said. “It's nice that the city's not just abandoning Court Street during the block party weekend but putting on some good activities for kids.”
Starkey said it is a nice change from locals hunkering down fully during the block party weekend. He enjoys seeing all the families out.
Some students and visitors still enjoy the daytime festivities as well. Andrew Kirk, a freshman studying middle childhood education, was enjoying Court Street with his friends.
“People pay their taxes to have all this stuff that support them, so why can't they come and enjoy it?” Kirk said. “It can't just be for us college students. They got to enjoy it. It's their place. It's their town, too.”
Kirk said he was excited to see the festivities later in the evening instead of Friday night.
“Last night was fun,” Kirk said. “Just get to dip your toes in the water a little bit and see what it's all about. Obviously, it's not going to be as much as there's going to be tonight.”
Elizabeth Talaga, Mary Kate McNamee and Drew Hoffmaster contributed to this report.
