Halloween festivities at the University of Illinois in Champaign and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale have been restricted for the past three to five years, but the city of Champaign has decided to loosen their reigns this year.

Champaign City Council Member Michael LaDue said before the restrictions were placed in 1986, they had people blocking traffic, breaking windows and setting bonfires.

Because of these activities, the city of Champaign fenced off one square block and regulated it. Also, no package liquor sales were allowed after noon on Halloween weekend within the city’s core area.

But LaDue said things have calmed down now, and the restrictions are no longer needed. “Each year (since the restrictions) the number of participants has been declining,” he said. “We’re making sure we get the message out that it is boring here (on Halloween weekend).”

But even so, he said the city will have additional enforcement the weekend before Halloween.

“We’re not anticipating any problems this year,” LaDue said.

SIU in Carbondale, which is known for its celebration connected with Halloween weekend, will continue the ban on Halloween parties which was placed two years ago.

Carbondale Lt. Tom Bush said public drunkenness, people throwing full cans of beer, people urinating on buildings and property and personal damage were all a synopsis with Halloween activity in Carbondale.

“It was generally a shameful gathering,” Bush said.

City Manager Steve Hoffner said in the past there were crowds estimated up to 25,000, and a number of people were injured.

Hoffner said the ban on Halloween activities was a joint agreement between the city and the university because they “were not creating a positive image for Carbondale.”

“There’s no reason to come to Carbondale this Halloween,” Hoffner said.

He said SIU has fall vacation which begins before the last weekend in October, so residence hall students are required to leave.

“We don’t anticipate anything other than a busy fall weekend,” Hoffner said. “It’s going to be business as usual as far as we’re concerned.”

DeKalb Police are not expecting anything unusual this year. “Typically, Halloween has never been a problem in DeKalb,” said DeKalb Police Detective Bruce Borders. “It is treated as any other weekend.”