Halloween is an excuse for many to put on a costume, be someone or something they're not. For the City of Madison, it is no different.

One weekend of the year, the city disguises itself. In most recent years on Halloween, downtown Madison has dressed as a crowded, chaotic riot waiting to happen, decked out with raucous people, inebriation, mosh pits and even the occasional projectile aimed at a police officer.

And Saturday night, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz was in costume too, as he took to the street to take in the State Street celebration before heading back to the command post.

Dressed not as the mayor for a few hours, but simply as a Madisonian in a red baseball cap, heavy black coat and blue jeans, Cieslewicz — even before taking a stroll down State Street at 11 p.m. — pointed out that downtown Madison's costume seemed different this year, as well.

"So far, so good," Cieslewicz said before visiting the arrest process center beneath the City County Building. "The atmosphere feels pretty good this year. There's not the edge that there's been in years past."

And when the end of the night came, Cieslewicz saw his much-discussed plan work to near perfection. In an open letter Sunday, the mayor thanked UW students for a celebration he called "peaceful and fun," and even said he is "looking forward" to next year's celebration.

The arrest processing center, meanwhile, which was a parking garage filled with tables and chairs, became an assembly line for drunks and other law-breakers to receive their citations Saturday night. Vans consistently brought more individuals from State Street to be dealt with — but like any good assembly line, the center was working quite efficiently.

"At this point we have not been as busy as in years past," Madison Police Department Lt. Mary Lou Ricksecker said. "We can get people processed in as quick as a half hour or as long as an hour and a half depending on how busy we are, but even though the vans have been coming pretty regularly, the arrest totals thus far are fewer than in past years."

Cieslewicz, holding out hope that the relatively low arrest totals would continue, indicated that the aura of the event, more laid back than in previous years, probably had something to do with those numbers.

Sauntering down State Street, Cieslewicz — unrecognizable to so many — could not help but have fun at the event. Cracking jokes, posing for pictures with people dressed in memorable costumes and taking time to watch a group of three pass judgment on costumes, the mayor was executing his costume to perfection, simply enjoying the event and the lighthearted atmosphere as a citizen.

Navigating the crowds, being bumped from time to time, Cieslewicz held his own and didn't even bat an eye when an individual coming the other way pointed at his feet and yelled, "Oh, horse shit!"

"That happens far too often," Cieslewicz joked. "People pointing at me and yelling, 'Horse shit.'"

Seeming to enjoy his anonymity, the mayor agreed to take a picture of an individual dressed as a chicken with two police officers. When someone asked the chicken-man if he wanted a picture with the mayor of Madison, the chicken refused to believe that the mayor had just taken his photo.

Pleased with the happenings on State Street, Cieslewicz moved over a block to take a look at Langdon Street, which was fairly inactive. However, upon seeing the line at the Kollege Klub, and before heading back to the command post to again assume his role as the mayor, Cieslewicz decided to put the finishing touch on his Madisonian costume and made a witty comment to his spokesperson, George Twigg.

"George, we're never gonna' get into the KK! Forget it," Cieslewicz said.

On his stroll, the mayor saw a different dynamic on State Street this year than in previous years. He indicated that the event seemed more like a celebration than an excuse to riot, and held out hope that it would continue that way.

Accompanied by Twigg at 11:45 p.m., Cieslewicz headed back to the command post, ready to take off his costume and assume his role as mayor. He knew the night was far from over.

"I guess, like in years past, I would get nervous when the night reached about midnight," Cieslewicz said. "That's when we would always begin to see the attitude change. But hopefully this year is different."

For Cieslewicz and the rest of the city, hopefully the next few years stay the same.