Franklin Street in Chapel Hill will be cordoned off again this year for the annual Halloween celebration.
Crowd size has steadily decreased since the peak of 80,000 in 2008. Smaller numbers have turned out since then, following strict town rules that prohibit revelers from bringing alcohol, glass bottles, and anything that resembles a firearm, whether it be the real thing or part of a costume.
Sgt. Brian Walker from the Chapel Hill Police Department says the town has tried very hard to keep crowd size down by making it a local event.
"So if someone was coming from out of town, you're going to have a hard time getting to Franklin street. There's little to no parking; there aren't shuttle buses running," Walker says.
"So folks outside of Chapel Hill might want to find someplace else to celebrate that'll be less of a hassle for them."
Downtown restaurants and bars will close their doors at 1:00 a.m. to new patrons. They'll also will charge a minimum $5 cover charge. More than 400 law enforcement officers from across the Triangle will help keep crowds under control.
