It wasn’t quite a ghost town, but Del Playa Drive — normally the epicenter of Isla Vista’s party scene — was unnaturally quiet Friday night as the community kicked off the four-day Halloween weekend.
The deputies and officers on patrol seemed to outnumber costumed revelers — in stark contrast to some previous years, when Isla Vista’s infamous Halloween street party drew tens of thousands of young people, many from outside the area, and resulted in hundreds of arrests and medical calls.
Massive law-enforcement presence, strict parking restrictions, and a concerted effort to dissuade out-of-towners from traveling to the bustling community adjacent to UC Santa Barbara seem to have combined to largely tame the annual celebration.
Noozhawk’s police scanner, which often pours out a litany of trouble from Isla vista on weekend nights, was largely silent throughout the evening Friday.
“It’s been a very quiet night in Isla Vista,” said Kelly Hoover, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
As of 11 p.m., there had been no arrests or citations, Hoover said.
Sheriff’s deputies made about 28 misdemeanor arrests over the two-day Halloween weekend last year, as opposed to 40 jail bookings in 2014 and 200 in 2013 (which was counted as a three-day event), according to the department.
Measures on the part of UCSB to subdue the celebration include parking restrictions on campus and in Isla Vista.
Stricter parking regulations have been implemented in Goleta as well, from Hollister Avenue to the southern city limit (Whittier Drive), from Cannon Green Drive to Storke Road.
A festival ordinance is among the safety measures taken by the county.
No loud or amplified music that can be heard outside a residence will be allowed, or citations and fines will be issued from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. through Tuesday.
Saturday night may be somewhat busier, Hoover said, while noting that the Associated Students program board will again host a concert — Delirium Vol. III — for students only to give them an alternative to Isla Vista parties.
The event, which is sold out, will feature YG and Flatbush Zombies.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
