The vast majority of the 35,000 people attending Freakfest on State Street Saturday were “well-behaved” and there were no significant injuries or property damage, Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said in a report.
UW-Madison senior Michelle Turner agreed and said the crowd was more cold than rowdy.
“There were a lot of people, but not so many people were dancing,” Turner said. “My sophomore year, the DJ played more dancing music, but this year, the Mowgli's did more sing-along, which is still fun, but not for hardcore dancing.”
Turner attended Freakfest both her freshman and sophomore years, which she described as different experiences.
“Freshman year was really fun, but probably because I was a freshman and there was nothing else to do,” Turner said. “This year it was cold, and I would rather just go to a bar.”
She also said the police presence kept the crowd from getting out of control. DeSpain wrote officers did make several arrests and issued citations, mostly for intoxication-related incidents and disorderly conduct.
Paramedics and officers also responded to a possible heroin overdose.
DeSpain wrote some people also suffered superficial facial cuts from throwing stars that were thrown into the Capitol stage area crowd.
However, Turner said everyone should go at least once.
“I think this was my last year. Even if I lived in Madison next year, I probably wouldn’t go,” Turner said. “It seems more like a college tradition. It was fun while I was in college, but I think, from here on, I’d rather not be cold outside.”
