The headaches have subsided and the streets are for the most part cleared of aluminum cans, vomit and debris, but despite any outstanding fines or less-than-advisable decisions, Saturday’s Mifflin Street Block Party has passed and everyone seems to have made it out in one piece.
Warm weather greeted partygoers as music began at noon. Various refreshments began to be passed around early in the day to prepare for what would undoubtedly be an event necessitating sufficient hydration.
A new addition to this year’s event was a beer garden near the former site of Planned Parenthood. Some were skeptical in the weeks leading up to the event as to just how popular the beer garden would be; their predictions were realized Saturday.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he had heard a number of individuals describe the beer garden as the “senior center beer garden.”
The patrons of the beer garden were largely advanced in age, as most young partygoers opted instead to rely on the giving nature of intoxicated individuals or carry-ins, and the garden rarely saw more than 50 individuals partaking at any one time.
Police on the street reported detox facilities had filled fairly early on in the day and ambulances were kept busy throughout the event. And although arrests were down from previous years, Madison police and fire representatives were on hand to prevent additional incidents.
A house party on the 500 block of West Mifflin Street was shut down as a result of too many people both within the house and on the balcony.
Madison Fire Department inspectors and city Alcohol Policy Coordinator Katherine Plominski were on hand to prevent people from entering the house. Plominski said there were over 100 individuals on the second floor of the home.
“I remain concerned about the number of people on balconies. It’s a very important safety issue because these structures are not made to hold thousands of pounds of weight,” Plominski said.
Despite individuals being prevented from entering the house, a number continued to attempt entry. At the time, it was unknown exactly what citations the occupants of the house would be subjected to, but one partygoer on the property had an estimation, commenting simply, “They’re fucked, they’re so fucked.”
University of Wisconsin sophomore Michael Sartin-Tarm, who was forced from the house party by police, said he felt police had been largely justified in their enforcement of some of the violations resulting in arrest, but that focusing on common violations like underage drinking seemed unnecessary.
“My problem with them busting our friends’ place is that it seems like most people here are breaking the law anyway, so they can kind of arbitrarily choose who they want to bust,” Sartin-Tarm said.
Despite some partygoers coming away owing the city of Madison significant amounts, most encountered on the streets had a largely positive impression of the day’s events.
One young woman characterized the event as “Wooooo!”
