It was once one of the biggest annual unsanctioned, unsponsored Halloween events on the West Coast, attracting tens of thousands of teens and young adults to Santa Barbara County. But, efforts to keep the street parties in check once again worked this this year.
In 2002, 103 people were arrested, and 143 cited for the unsanctioned street parties in Isla Vista. This past weekend, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office had only five arrests, and three citations to report in the community.
The community held a number of alternative events to give students something to do.
There were also some steps to deter would-be partygoers from coming to the community. Santa Barbara County once again used an amplified noise ordinance to limit the ability to hold outdoor street parties. Parking was restricted on campus, and in parts of Goleta to discourage out of town partygoers. And, UCSB banned out-of-town guests in campus housing over the weekend.
