Annually drawing a diverse crowd of revelers, Halloween festivities in Fell's Point range from vampire brides to ninja turtles and from college students to Baltimore locals. The whole rowdy bunch that fills the streets of Fell's Point on Oct. 31 is usually made up of quite a few Hopkins students looking for a memorable Halloween experience.
While the 21-and-over crowd is drawn to Fell's on Halloween for the multitude of bars that are located in this section of Baltimore, people of all ages journey there to celebrate the holiday in the open air.
Easily accessible to Hopkins students via a short cab ride or buses organized by Student Council, and many Hopkins students end up in Fell's for at least some portion of their Halloween night.
Beyond its accessibility,the bus trip to Fell's is endurable for students eager with curiosity to find out what all the fuss is about. "Figuring out what Fell's is like is a main part of the appeal causing students to go to Fell's on Halloween," said sophomore Margaret Paek.
For Hopkins students the allure of Fell's on Halloween is something akin to that of an unwritten Hopkins tradition passed on from upperclassmen to freshmen.
"When I was a freshman, upperclassmen said that going to Fell's for Halloween was something you have to do at least once at Hopkins, so I decided to try it out," said sophomore Greg Gottimer.
"Going to Fell's for Halloween is the thing to do," says sophomore Cara Merriman who enjoyed the party at Fell's last year. "I had been going out all weekend in my Boy Scout costume to various campus parties and I had heard that it was really fun and similar to the Village in New York."
Students who heed tradition and decide to give Fell's a try generally end up satisfied with their decision to join the party.
"It was definitely worth going," said Merriman who plans on going again this year. "Going to Fell's makes it worth the work that is entailed in planning a costume and getting dressed up -- it's not like any other night you are going to have at Hopkins because everyone is in a super mood and people's costumes are fabulous."
Even those who weren't satisfied with all aspects of the party agreed that it was worth going for a little while.
"It was a lot of fun," said Gottimer. "There were a lot of people there and some of the costumes were really amazing, but all the bars were 21 and older, so after a while it got boring standing outside and we went to Power Plant because it was 18 and older to get in."
Beyond not being able to get into bars, some people have not had the best experiences at Fell's, and it is important to be wary. Junior Kiran Valiani said, "two years ago when I went to Fell's Point for Halloween I went to this really shady club called Bohagers. One of my friends got drunk and was punched by a paramedic. Fell's Point is just a big mob of drunk college kids on Halloween, and it wasn't exactly a fun night for me."
Students who have gone in the past agree that there are a few things that people should know before throwing on a costume and boarding the bus.
Safety is important to remember when partying in big crowds or in city districts. Merriman advised, "Go with a bunch of friends and make sure that people you know are going to be there. The area around Fell's is not the best, so it's a good idea to stay in control and know what's going on at all times."
In addition to being aware of surroundings, many agree that the night is more fun -- and safe -- spent in the company of friends.
Finally if you're looking to get into a bar without a legitimate ID, it's not the best place to go. Because of the sheer number of people that head to Fell's, the bars are quite strict so don't assume that your fake California ID will suffice.
