Athens Ohio Halloween Block Party facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athens Halloween Block Party |
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A view of the huge crowd from the stage during the 2015 Halloween Block Party.
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| Genre | Block party |
| Date(s) | Saturday falling closest to October 31st |
| Begins | 1:00P.M. (EST) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Athens, Ohio United States |
| Inaugurated | October 31, 1974 |
| Participants | Athens County residents Ohio University students, college students statewide |
| Attendance | ~10,000-36,000 |
| Website | http://www.athenshalloween.com/ |
The Athens Halloween Block Party is a famous and massive annual celebration in the city of Athens, Ohio. Every year on the Saturday closest to Halloween, between 10,000 and 30,000 people in creative costumes gather in the streets for a huge party.
This event is much bigger than a normal block party. It takes over several streets in the "Uptown" area of the city. Because so many people attend, Ohio University and the City of Athens work together to make sure the event is safe and fun for everyone.
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The Story of the Halloween Party
The Athens Halloween Block Party has a long and interesting history. It started small and grew into the giant event it is today.
How It All Began
The tradition started on Halloween night in 1974. A group of people wearing costumes had so much fun that they stopped traffic on Court Street for two hours. A local business, The Greenery Bar and Nightclub, helped get the party going.
After skipping a year in 1975, the party returned in 1976 and was even bigger. By 1977, the Athens City Council made the party official. They closed the street to traffic and helped organize activities like a costume contest and live music.
Growing Pains and Official Support
In 1978, the city and university helped organize the party for a second time. However, the event grew so large that it became difficult to manage. For many years after that, the city and university did not officially sponsor the party.
Even without official support, people still showed up every year for the Halloween celebration. The party continued to grow through the 1980s. Finally, in 1990, the City of Athens once again began to officially recognize and help manage the event.
The Party in Modern Times
The Halloween Block Party is still a major event for Athens. The city and Ohio University have developed plans to handle the large crowds and keep the celebration safe.
In 2010, the party had very large crowds. To entertain everyone, stages for live music were set up at two different intersections on Court Street. That year, there was a minor fire at the historic Athena Movie Theatre, but it caused only small damage.
Today, the Athens Halloween Block Party continues to be a popular tradition, drawing visitors from all over the state.
