The 38th annual Mifflin Street Block Party had the makings for another dreary, damp day, and then the clouds broke up and from Broom to Bedford Streets, ""Fiesta de Mifflin"" was lined with parties, thirsty college students and police officers.
10 a.m.
The party was officially underway, but most students had not yet made their way onto the street. In fact, the presence of the Madison Police Department was much more noticeable than that of UW-Madison students.
Sgt. Dave McCaw said students were slow getting onto the street because Friday night was a busy night for cops. He said the hangovers probably prevented an early start for many of the students, but anticipated the event to grow.
Noon
People were still few and far between on Mifflin Street. The clouds had not lifted, but the mood of the crowd was starting to develop. Outside a house on the corner of Mifflin Street and Basset Street, three people were seated on the curb as a MPD officer poured beer down the drain.
""I'm actually not drunk,"" said UW-Madison senior Katie Schroeder, surrounded by two friends who were admittedly intoxicated. ""Within five minutes of walking on Mifflin I got a ticket for an open intoxicant.""
As the partygoers put their heads down, the officer checked IDs, got out the handcuffs and walked the dejected arrestees to the police busing station located on Basset Street.
By 1:30 p.m., police reported the crowd to be at approximately 4,000 people and growing. They also reported 21 arrests for alcohol related citations.
2 p.m.
The sun shined down on Mifflin and the drinking was in full force. Porches were standing room only, and party attendees walked down Mifflin elbow-to-elbow with police.
On sidewalks, officers scattered throughout the area increasingly slapped handcuffs on violators and dumped alcoholic beverages.
UW-Madison senior Jason Chappell could be seen promoting his new clothing line ""J-Cheezy."" Other UW athletes—Kammron Taylor and Greg Stiemsma—joined the party. However, they were not as popular as the other celebrities on the streetA-—the police.
4 p.m.
""The crowd seems to be in a pretty good mood,"" said Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. ""So far so good.""
By this time, the party hit full stride, maxing out at an estimated 10,000 people. Police reported 80 arrests. MPD mounted patrol waited in the wings and the UWPD and the Dane County Sheriff's Office poured onto the scene.
Not only were arrests mounting, but also the number of fake arrests.
McCaw said he did not mind taking pictures with whomever asked. MPD Chief of Police Noble Wray said picture taking was ""encouraged."" He said it allowed for students and officers to interact and engage in the event.
And while the lines at the prison shuttle grew, so did the amount of beer consumed. Still, partygoers complained something was missing.
Music.
""Even when it was raining, we've had more bands than [Saturday],"" said City Council President Mike Verveer.
McCaw stood outside a house on the 400 block of Mifflin Street, telling the person responsible he could hear the music outside the allotted three house radius. It was the second time the house was cited.
8 p.m.
The mounted patrol stood in the midst of a dwindling crowd. Only porches held people and even those began to disperse.
By sundown, police reported 366 arrests—nearly all alcohol related.
""There's no denying that the 38th block party was ... an absolutely peaceful event,"" Verveer said.
