Planning to head to Franklin Street on Halloween? As long as you stay safe by going with a group of friends and keeping any prohibited items at home, your Halloween night is sure to be spooktacular.
From 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, the entirety of Franklin Street will be closed down so Chapel Hill community members and UNC students can walk the downtown area and show off their costumes.
Jenny Burgess, a sophomore at UNC majoring in political science, said she anticipates the event every year.
“It was chaotic, exciting, overwhelming," she said. "I tried running for part of it, but I hate running so it wasn’t the whole time."
Other UNC students, like Emma Geis, a first-year majoring in media and journalism, have only heard stories of what goes on Halloween night.
“I’m really excited to run to Franklin Street this year,” she said. “I feel like it’s part of the Tar Heel experience, and my older sister has told me a lot about it.”
Students walking from campus to Franklin Street can expect to be stopped at checkpoints on the perimeter of Franklin Street before entering, where public officials and law enforcement officers will be checking everyone's costume for any prohibited items. Prohibited items include:
- Alcohol
- Glass bottles
- Fireworks or anything flammable
- Coolers
- Animals
- Anything that looks like a weapon
- Paint
- Unlicensed drones
If you’re unsure whether or not an item on your costume could be perceived as a weapon, Chapel Hill Police said it’s advised to go ahead and leave it at home.
