Open Letter to City of Madison Wisconsin Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
Mayor Cieslewicz,
I am writing to you at this time, after having gathered my thoughts on the matter, to express my dismay, as well as the dismay of our group at the rapidly deteriorating experience that has become the annual ‘Freakfest’ event here in Madison. I moved to this city two years ago now, and so, being a fan of Halloween in general, I have attended three consecutive, city-affiliated Halloween events on State Street.
I can say, without doubt and without reservation, that each year has been progressively worse than the last, but that this last year’s poorly, arbitrarily and chaotically managed free for all has soured us on the entire affair and seems on track, regretfully, to eliminate one of Madison’s most striking and vibrant annual traditions.
I’m not in a position to comment on how Halloween was managed before the City became directly involved, as I did not live here at the time, and I am sympathetic to the need to maintain public order and contain costs, however, the current management is simply not working, unless the plan is to snuff out our city’s celebration of the holiday entirely.
The first year we went to Freakfest, it was amazing. The crowds, the costumes, actual groups of performers with elaborate displays on stilts, true works of art. The next year, security guards began arbitrarily confiscating ‘contraband’, which included, bizarrely, bottles of water for thirsty patrons, searching my camera bag for.. I’m not even sure what… and generally harassing entrants to State Street. There was an oppressive and unfriendly air beginning to coalesce around the event.
However, it was nothing compared to this year. Having learned from our mistake last year of daring to bring a bottle of water (plastic, naturally) that had been opened, and been informed that said bottle represented some existential threat to public safety, we brought a sealed, unopened, mint bottle of Dasani.. which was ‘confiscated’, or perhaps the better word is stolen, from us upon entry. Our costumes, if you want to call them that, consisting of the same picket signs we have used for three consecutive years at events around Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana without incident, were taken from us, unless we were wiling to dismantle the ‘dangerous’ elements of.. yard sticks. Given away by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, as a matter of fact. At a large public event, attended by small children, that is known as, well.. the Indiana State Fair.
I’m sure the VA would be shocked to know that their freebies constitute weapons in a nearby state.
At no point prior to the event could I find, or was I informed of, the confiscation and safety policies that were attached to this event. Our every attempt at compliance was met with ever more elaborate and arbitrarily enforced rules, seemingly implemented solely to stifle creativity.
Once we got inside, it only got worse. Having been denied all access to beverages of our own, we found a nearly complete lack of food service or available vending, unlike in previous years. All the restaurants were absolutely mobbed; there was simply nowhere to get a drink most of the evening, let alone edible food.
Toilet facilities? Don’t make me laugh. I saw precisely one portable toilet with a block long line. Thanks but no thanks.
As for the much-vaunted musical acts, OK Go didn’t begin to perform until after midnight, late, and only did a very short set. Most of the time the main stage was vacant throughout the evening. People wandered about, briefly, plainly and obviously bored, and then left.
The crowds, subjectively, seemed much lighter than usual, and consisted predominately not of artists displaying their craftsmanship and competitive spirit, as in previous years, but in undergraduates stumbling around under the influence (perhaps having gotten their liquor off-site, perhaps not) in cheap store-bought costumes.
Every year since I moved here I have begged, implored, wheedled and cajoled out of state friends that they should make the trip to see our city on Halloween.
That won’t be occurring after this year’s disaster. I hope things improve, but I am very doubtful.
Your constituent,
John J Sears
President of The Zombie Rights Campaign
www.zombierightscampaign.org
Previous ZRC Coverage of the Freakfest 2010 Event can be seen here, here, here and here.
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