Halloween draws 32,000 downtown

About 32,000 people gathered on Franklin Street to celebrate Halloween Friday night — an increase from the 30,000 who attende  in 2013.

Police pressed charges against 13 people at the event. The charges included possession of marijuana, carrying a concealed weapon and assaulting a firefighter, among others, according to a press release from the Chapel Hill Police Department.

There were 29 calls to Orange County Emergency Services, and the majority were alcohol-related, the release states.

The department was expecting the celebration to draw a larger crowd than usual due to the holiday falling on a Friday this year, Lt. Mecimore, spokesman for the Chapel Hill Police Department, said.

This year’s event drew the largest crowd since 2010, when 35,000 peo ple attended.

“We knew that was a likelihood,” Mecimore said.

“Most people are just coming and having a good time.”

Romina Linares watches people dressed for Halloween on East Franklin Street with her two sons, Emir and Darien.

Lily Clark dresses as Tiger Lilly, Maggie Blank dresses as Minnie Mouse and Shelby Miller dresses as an emoji.

(from left to right) Madison Jackson, Marissa Jackson, and Courtney Elliot, all UNC students, dress up for Halloween on East Franklin Street.

Elisha Graham (left), a sophomore from North Carolina A&T, and Jassmin Lee, a sophomore from UNC, dress up as Thing 1 and Thing 2 on East Franklin Street.

Susannah Krom, a senior psychology major, dresses up as Maleficent on East Franklin Street.

(From left) James Ross, Brooke McKenna and Luke Neeman pose in a selfie booth on East Franklin Street.

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