At this year's Freakfest Halloween celebration, Madison residents can expect a bigger headlining entertainment act, lower public cost and possibly a higher ticket price.
For the third year running, Freakfest will be the product of a joint agreement between the City of Madison and Frank Promotions, the local promotion company that staged the event in 2006 and 2007.
While most things about this year's Freakfest will remain the same, city officials say there will be one big difference - the headliner.
Frank Productions promised us this year that there will be a major headline act that people actually have heard of and can get excited about,"" Ald. Mike Ververr, District 4, said.
Verveer maintains that the city has not yet been informed by Frank Promotions just what the act is, but were assured it was a group that most Madison students would know.
The caliber of the potential headline does not come without a price tag, however, as officials hinted at a hike in ticket price.
Joel Plant, aide to Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, said there might be a slight increase in the cost to enter the closed part of State Street during Freakfest.
""With the bigger name act '¦ there may be a slight, slight increase,"" he said. ""But the goal is to keep this as cheap as possible.""
Verveer said he would not support a price increase unless the promised headliner lived up to the hype.
Plant also said the city has been working steadily to reduce public costs for the event and success in the last two years has allowed them to do so.
According to Plant, the city is requesting a budget of $56,000 for this year's Freakfest, a significant drop from last year's $83,000 budget.
The event, which falls on Nov. 1, will feature events for partygoers' entertainment, such as costume contests and music from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Plant said the city plans to announce both the headliner and ticket price next week.
