Chapel Hill Gets Ready for Annual Halloween Bash

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Tens of thousands of people are expected in downtown Chapel Hill Wednesday night for its annual Halloween bash.

But before they go, the Town of Chapel Hill is reminding the public about what is and what is not allowed for the festival, which runs from 9 p.m. until 1:30 a.m.

Street Closures:

Downtown streets will close to vehicular traffic at 9 p.m. They include:

• Franklin Street from Raleigh Street to Roberson Street
• Columbia Street from Rosemary Street to Cameron Avenue
• Raleigh Street from East Franklin Street to Cameron Avenue
• Henderson Street from East Rosemary Street to East Franklin Street
• Residential streets near downtown, except to residents of those streets and their guests.

Parking:

• Vehicles parked in the festival area will be towed beginning at 6 p.m.
• Vehicles illegally parked will be ticketed and towed, with a minimum recovery cost of $103.
• Parking will be available in public parking lots, including the Rosemary Street Deck, for $20 per vehicle.

Prohibited Items:

Alcohol will not be permitted, and all state and local laws pertaining to alcohol will be enforced.  Town ordinances and state statutes prohibit the following items in the closed area:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Glass bottles
• Fireworks and explosives
• Animals
• Weapons
• Paint
• Flammable substances
• Coolers

Items, even as part of a costume, which can be used as weapons or could reasonably be mistaken as weapons will be confiscated. This includes items made of wood, metal, cardboard or hard plastic.

Shuttle Buses:

The Town of Chapel Hill will offer shuttle service to and from the party. They will run from 9 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. The cost is $5 round trip. Everyone is encouraged to use the shuttle service.

The routes will be:

• Jones Ferry Road lot in Carrboro to South Columbia Street at Cameron Avenue
• Southern Village (15-501 South) lot to South Columbia Street at Cameron Avenue
• Friday Center park-and-ride lot to Cameron Avenue at Raleigh Street
• University Mall to Cameron Avenue at Raleigh Street

Last year, an estimated 70,000 people showed up. Twenty-seven people were arrested or cited during the celebration.