With one of Madison’s most famed traditions just weeks away, a bit of confusion has again arisen among this city’s police and administrators.

This year, Oct. 31, Halloween, falls on a Friday, and crowds of costumed revelers should be expected on State Street to enjoy the holiday on its rightful date. However, city officials and city-sanctioned organizers are now calling Saturday, Nov. 1 the “official” day to party on State Street. This seems a bit far-fetched. By declaring Saturday as Madison’s “official” Halloween, Madison city authorities must not forsake the reality that Friday may indeed be the “big day.” No one can say for sure, but we’d be willing to bet that Friday and Saturday nights will be “big.” As so many concede, this is Madison, after all.

Efforts by the city to create alcohol-free entertainment alternatives for the day are a positive step toward ensuring the riots of last year can be safely avoided. We certainly would advocate any policy or activity aimed at avoiding last year’s dangerous and costly riots, but we must also caution police and city administrators not to throw all their eggs into one basket. Student populations, particularly this one, are notoriously hard to predict.

The vibe from students is clearly that the weekend itself will be an event. Who can know for certain which night will produce the bigger crowd? In our own informal polling of Joe and Jane Student, the question, “Which night will you celebrate Halloween in costume on State Street?” yields the response, “Well, Friday … but probably both.” Police and city officials must be prepared for throngs on State Street both Friday and Saturday nights. Thursday celebrations are all but certain as well. Mother Nature may well be the final arbiter of which night takes the title.

That said, cooperation by students in remaining peaceful is a must. The same policing approach used at the Mifflin Street Block Party last year — somewhat laissez-faire but highly visible — should go a long way in preventing the destruction of last year.

As far as we are concerned, the students have spoken for the obvious: Halloween is Halloween, and Halloween weekend will be one big party, regardless of who clamors for revelry on a given night.