Palmerfest

In the late 1980s, residents of Palmer Street began hosting a string of parties after the university removed alcohol from its annual Spring Fest and Green weekends because of changes in state liquor laws and drinking age. Spring Fest, which had been held on university grounds and featured alcohol vendors, was made alcohol-free in 1988, and attendance dropped sharply, prompting residents of Palmer Street to hold a fest of their own to replace it. While not officially advertised as Palmer Fest, the original party was organized and put on by the residents of 5 and 7 Palmer Street and held in an adjoining lot behind the properties. The term "Palmer Fest" was coined by one of the bands playing that night (18th Emergency). The original party started with 16 kegs of beer (depleted by 9:30 p.m.), a glow stick vendor, a T-Shirt vendor, a band, and it grew out of control with an open BYOB policy and a drive-thru in close proximity. The police were caught off-guard by the large number of people that attended and for that reason told organizers to contain attendees and shut it down at 11:00 p.m. or risk arrest. The next attempt in 1990 saw a lesser event due to police intervention early.[6] Palmerfest was revived officially on April 12, 1991.[4] The event was attended by about 500 friends of the street residents and with only 15 beer kegs.[4] Palmerfest grew in size with each successive year as word of the party spread.[7] In general, each Palmerfest event was described as "peaceful" with minimal police intervention. Ohio University officials have coordinated with the residents of the street to ensure the event was as safe as possible.[8]

Historically, heavy police presence was only necessitated to break up fights or if there is property damage or disorderly behavior.[9] Police traditionally did not need a major presence on the street. However, Ohio University, in an effort to tone down the school's party school image, cracked down on punishment for drinking. University officials noted in the years leading up to the 2009 fest, the university was seeing a measure of success in regulating student behavior and restraining drinking.[8]

The 2008 Palmer Fest party was mostly quiet, though a lawsuit was filed by an attendee who claimed he was struck and injured by a water balloon thrown by a student resident of the street.[10]

1999 - 2000

Palmerfest was organized by "The Barn" at 15 palmer street. Mickey Mentzer, a resident at the house involved O.A.R. to headline both years.[11]

By the May 9, 2009 Palmer Fest, attendance had grown to an estimated 8,000 people, including a significant number of students from other universities around the state. The 2009 Palmer Fest attracted statewide attention after a "near riot" erupted on Palmer Street around 10 p.m. when partiers began setting fires to furniture in the street and assaulting police officers and firefighters who attempted to put out the blaze.[12]

Around 10:00 p.m., officers responded to the first reports of a furniture fire in the street, and riot police moved down the street escorting a fire engine. Firefighters put out the blaze, but attendees quickly became belligerent and the crowd began shouting insults at the police, who withdrew. By 10:30, several more furniture fires were started in the street, and when police and firefighters attempted to return and extinguish the blazes, the crowd turned violent, throwing bottles of beer at police. Five police horses were injured, most by thrown glass bottles, and police reported a substantial amount of debris being thrown at them. Attendees of the party were packing the rooftops and alleys in between houses, some of whom participating in throwing debris and chanting slogans with the crowds surrounding the fires.[9] Police responded by calling in reinforcements and 40 riot police and mounted police armed with batons and pepper spray confronted revelers and pushed them from the street and surrounding yards. Attendees criticized the behavior of the police as overly violent.[12]

The town responded with several new safety ordinances guiding party behavior for students, including an attempted ordinance banning house concerts, as local code enforcement saw them as unsafe and potentially hazardous for fires.[13] OU Dean of Students Dean Lombardi released a statement condemning the behavior, and police used online photos and YouTube to try and identify people responsible for the riotous behavior, and OU also announced efforts to hold students involved responsible.[8]

The 2010 Palmer Fest, which saw attendance of 8,000 despite unseasonably cold weather.

The May 8, 2010 Palmer Fest began around 8:00 a.m. and remained relatively calm throughout the day, spurred mainly by unseasonably cooler weather.[14] Crowds did not block traffic or behave riotously throughout the early day, though police noted at 6:00 p.m.[15] the tone of the crowd began to shift. At 9:20 p.m. police shut down two parties on the street due to lighting of fireworks, provoking significant antagonism from the crowd. The crowd quickly began to grow more hostile, and after 11 p.m. attendees began throwing objects at the officers. Mounted police began sweeping the sidewalks and several yards, following people who had assaulted them with objects. One officer fell off his horse while attempting to control the crowd. By 11:35 p.m. 50 riot police appeared on the street and began clearing it, armed with batons and pepper spray. One officer and one police horse were injured.[14]

A total of 82 people were arrested during the weekend, 31 by Athens Police and 51 by state liquor control agents.[16] Most of the arrests involved alcohol, though several arrests for rioting and felonious assault on an officer were also reported.[15] Police subsequently created a website to identify people responsible for starting fires, taking pictures of the event from Facebook pages of people who attended the event.[17] OU President Roderick McDavis subsequently released a written statement expressing outrage at the event, promising to hold any involved students responsible and meeting with city officials to plan preventive measures to prevent future events from spinning out of control in a similar manner.[18]

Mounted police watch the 2011 Palmerfest from the south end of the street

The May 7, 2011 Palmer Fest was called "uneventful" by police, and in spite of statewide attention the event remained calm, spurred greatly by rains throughout the day. Fires and other rioting behavior were not reported.[19] Police reported attendees were substantially less rowdy than in previous years, never blocking the street to traffic, and crowds never escalated to violent action, as they had in the two years past. Police also attributed increased officer presence at the event and the more aggressive communication campaign to success at keeping the party in order.[5]

However, police arrested about 170 people in connection with the event, many for underage drinking.[16] The Ohio Department of Public Safety's investigative unit reported 172 arrests in Athens between May 6 and May 8, accounting for 86 percent of its arrests statewide. Most were for underage drinking or possession of fake IDs.[20]

Palmer Fest moved back into April, turned 21, and had a house set on fire. A riot zone was declared by the mayor of Athens around 7:50 p.m. and the spring fest was shut down shortly after.

• Hollow, Betty (2003), Ohio University 1804-2004: Spirit Of Singular Place, Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, ISBN 978-0-8214-1523-8
• Jardy, Adam; Rolando, Becca (2011), Ohio State University: Off the Record, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: College Prowler, ISBN 978-1-59658-094-7