Fraternities and sororities along the six blocks of Langdon Street are bracing for what could be a wild Halloween weekend.
When Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced a $5 fee for ""Freakfest,"" students quickly put Langdon Street near the top of the list for possible State Street replacements.
However, the fraternities and sororities that make up much of the street are less than pleased with the idea of Halloween on Langdon Street. Justine Newhouse, a UW-Madison junior and member of Tri Delta, 120 Langdon St., said her sorority is hoping people stay off Langdon this weekend.
""When the Facebook group ‘Move Halloween to Langdon' was created, [our sorority members] were definitely not allowed to join it,"" Newhouse said.
Jeff Levinson, a UW-Madison junior and president of Tau Kappa Epsilon, 216 Langdon St., said his fraternity intends to keep a low profile on Halloween. He added that the possibility of overflow onto Langdon Street is a cause for concern.
""I was worried that rocks might be thrown and windows might be broken, but none of us know what is really going to happen,"" he said.
A busted 2005 Halloween party at Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 627 N. Lake St., has also been a deterrent to Landgon Street gatherings. The SAE house, which was allegedly crammed with over 600 people when police arrived, received 266 citations and amassed $94,000 worth of fines.
According to TKE's Levinson, the events that took place at SAE played a role in his fraternity's decision not to host a party this year.
Alex Sheridan, president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, 210 Langdon St., said rowdy partiers will inevitably visit Langdon Street Saturday. In response to the unwanted company, Sheridan said, many fraternities and sororities are turning to private security companies to prevent property damage.
""We're not asking or encouraging them to arrest anyone,"" Sheridan said. ""We just want our property safe.""
Central District Police Captain Mary Schauf said law enforcement has also been working closely with the Greek system to prevent raucous gatherings this year.
""We have a Langdon street officer who has been talking to frats and sororities all fall long,"" Schauf said. ""If you put a sign on your doorstep that says, ‘C'mon, party over here,' you are really going to get yourself into a lot of trouble.""
According to UW-Madison student Lindsay Klein, police are also taking an aggressive stance on house parties in general. Klien, who lives on Spring St., said she advertised a party on Facebook and was quickly confronted by an officer who outlined MPD plans to monitor 13 Halloween parties on Facebook.
Klein added that police told her undercover officers dressed in street clothes might also try to infiltrate house parties Friday and Saturday night.
""They have four party forces for College Court and four for State Street,"" Klein said. ""And if we do get caught, they let the apartment owners know and you can get evicted within five days.""
