Kristin Eberts / Picture Editor / ke277604@ohiou.edu

Students and friends gather to socialize on the rooftop of 5 Palmer St. during festivities Saturday. Ohio University Police Lt. Randy Grey said more partygoers were on rooftops this year.

While local police reported Saturday’s Palmerfest as “unremarkable,” many students found the annual block party lived up to the hype.

From shedding clothes to dancing on rooftops, partygoers embraced free expression, said Mike Juker, a senior visiting from John Carroll University in Cleveland.

“I saw girls doing naked keg stands earlier,” Juker said. “This is the craziest thing I’ve seen.”  

Saturday’s annual party boasted a more open, “brotherly love” atmosphere than other parties such as Halloween, said freshman history major Gus Haas.

Others viewed Palmerfest as a holiday in itself. “Palmerfest is Christmas with beer,” said Stephanie Coleman, a sophomore English major.

“I’ve been marking down the calendar all year. Oh boy, oh joy, Palmerfest is here!” said sophomore geology major Josh Walker, who vowed to enjoy it “until I can’t move another inch of my body.”

Not only was the crowd larger but happier as well, said Danny Decker, a sports management major.

“This year is significantly better. There are more people, more bands and more people committed to have a good time than in the past,” he added.

Athens Police Capt. Tom Pyle called the event “unremarkable” in an e-mail media release, citing 13 arrests between 3 p.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. yesterday. He did not specify how many arrests were Palmerfest related.

Thirteen officers patrolled the street and surrounding area on horseback to maintain a presence and keep the street clear from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m., said Lt. Randy Grey.

More partygoers sat on rooftops or threw objects from the roofs than during previous years, Grey said.    

Despite problems, the festival is a classic part of the Ohio University experience, said Samantha Schafer, a senior anthropology and sociology major.

“It has a lot of name recognition. When people hear Palmerfest, people want to be a part of it. I guarantee you the bars will be dead all night,” Schafer said.  

Bars competing with Palmerfest varied in their success. The Pub saw an increase in daytime business, probably becasue of Palmerfest pre-gaming, said bartender Alana Manwaring.

Red Brick and Lucky’s employees noticed fewer customers and less beer purchased overall.

“Although the crowd was more of a typical Saturday crowd at night, people were more intoxicated than usual, so we had to deal with that,” said Joe Fey, a manager at Lucky’s.

Those who attended the party, however, counted this year’s Palmerfest as a success.

“Palmerfest is the time of year where everyone can be themselves and express their soul,” said Michael Goldman, a junior environmental pre-law major.

— Natalie McGee contributed to this story.