A city committee has granted permission to student leaders to close off access to Randall Avenue near Union South for Revelry, the University of Wisconsin’s year-end arts and music festival, at a meeting Wednesday.

The Revelry Arts and Music Festival Executive Committee asked the Street Use and Staff Commission to close Randall Avenue to traffic from 10 p.m. on May 3 to 10 p.m. on May 4, according to Josh Levin, operations director of the event.

Randall Avenue is an important aspect of the event because the interior of Union South does not reflect the feel of an outdoor music festival, Levin said. Revelry leaders want attendees to be able to walk around outside and see multiple acts, he said. This cannot be achieved in Union South, he added.

“[Randall Avenue] is critical to Revelry’s success because of the vision we are striving for,” Levin said. “In order to create the event we want for our student body we need the event to be more than Union South.”

Kelli Lamberty, Parks Division representative, said the commission approved Revelry’s application because leaders provided the additional information about the site maps, ticketing and their safety and security plans requested at the previous meeting.

“They met the requirements we have [for a street use permit],” Lamberty said. “We wouldn’t approve it if we felt [the street] wasn’t going to be used as presented.”

Revelry will be a multi-stage venue, according to Levin. There will be stages in The Sett, outside Union South and on Randall Avenue, he said. 

The street will be the venue for a DJ stage, film party, art installations and several other things that have yet to be revealed, Levin said.

No traffic will be allowed on the street and buses, including the 80, will be rerouted, Levin said. However, emergency vehicles will be allowed if there happens to be an emergency, he said.

“UWPD is in charge of controlling traffic in the area,” Levin said. “They graciously offered to help with that.”

Regarding security, Revelry organizers will be working with the UW Police Department during the event, Levin said.  Hired security staff will act under the direction of the police department, he said.

Security will be present on the street to ensure everyone is having a safe time and everything is running smoothly, Levin said, adding that there will be no crackdowns.

Levin explained students will be able to enter the event from both the northern and southern ends of Randall Avenue, near Wendt Commons Library and the front of Union South. He said UWPD will be located at both entrances to make sure people are staying within the designated areas.

According to Levin, commission members had few concerns about the street use permit application.

“We were excited to see entire venue [for Revelry] approved,” Levin said. “We are excited the city has been so helpful with this event.”

Although Revelry is a little more than a month away, more details of the event have yet to be released, Levin said. The group will announce the official musical line-up for the festival today.