Skip to main content

Halloween in Madison: From the quiet to the rowdy years

Thirty years ago, the first Halloween gathering on State Street began with an inspired spark: a bonfire that drew hundreds of people.

In the years since, the party grew large and wild, shriveled to next to nothing, survived cold and rainy weather, then swelled in size again â?? eventually spinning out of control â?? until authorities tamed it last year, gating off the street and charging admission to enter.