Freakfest, Madison's annual Halloween celebration, has undergone some dramatic changes in recent years, and according to several city officials, those changes have been for the better.
Madison officials and several State Street merchants discussed details of the event during a meeting hosted by Madison's Business Improvement District Wednesday.
Joel Plant, neighborhood liaison for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, said the event has increased security, reduced property damage and decreased public costs over the last few years.
""Perhaps most importantly ... the public cost of the event has fallen through the floor,"" he said. ""Our out-of-pocket costs, the costs that we spend to rent the fencing and set up the event, are down 41 percent, and our personnel costs are down almost 25 percent.""
Plant also stressed the importance of Freakfest's improved image and its appeal for entertainment and food venues.
""In 2006, no one, and understandably so, wanted to have anything to do with Freakfest,"" he said. ""Now we have the BID and other agencies and organizations coming forward and saying, ‘How can we partner and be part of the Halloween weekend?' This is a huge indicator of success.""
This year, Badger football and hockey games also fall on Oct. 31, and according to Plant, they will draw a larger crowd to Freakfest.
""The [football] crowd comes downtown and populates the area all day long,"" he said. ""And as we can imagine, it brings a little bit of the older crowd, especially earlier in the night, which we've found to be very beneficial.""
Although much of the logistics of Freakfest will remain the same, Cpt. Mary Schauf of the Madison Police Department said there would be minor changes to the entrance and exit gates. According to Schauf, there will be entrances on the corners of Dayton Street and Carroll Street, and the Capitol Square will serve as an additional exit.
David Maynard, a spokesperson for Freakfest producer Frank Productions, said the main stage on the Capitol Square would be moved back toward the Capitol to provide additional space.
