An ambulance almost stopped Evanston resident Janet Irons from going to church on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend last year.
It blocked her driveway as it was loaded with intoxicated Northwestern students to take them to the hospital — at 3 p.m.
Dillo Day is notorious for student parties that begin in the morning and last all day, and Irons and other Evanston residents said they are concerned about property damage, party noise and proper student conduct in city neighborhoods.
“When you have a festival on the lakefront, it spills out into the community,” Irons said. “There’s no way you can keep all those kids (there).”
Irons, who has lived on the 2100 block of Sherman Avenue for more than 20 years, said on last year’s Dillo Day, NU students verbally harassed her and littered her yard with broken glass.
She said students seem to behave worse every year, adding that she university officials should take more responsibility in preventing student misconduct. Irons suggested changing the date of the music festival to a colder month and holding it indoors.
University administrators placed a series of ads in The Daily urging students to be safe this coming weekend, said Catherine Whitcomb, assistant to NU’s vice president for student affairs. She also said the university will distribute door hangers with safe-party tips and a summary of city ordinances to houses in the community.
Evanston resident Linda Goranson, who lives on the 700 block of Milburn Street, said although she lives far from campus, Dillo Day has caused problems in her neighborhood in the past.
“I think that it doesn’t affect my block as much as it does other blocks,” Goranson said. “But we did see trash and drinking bottles (last year).”
She added that although she thinks most NU students have a good relationship with members of the Evanston community, she doesn’t want to see students turn this weekend into “some kind of free-for-all.”
Despite past problems with student misconduct in his neighborhood, Evanston resident Greg Lisinski said he is optimistic that students can enjoy their big weekend while respecting the community at the same time.
Lisinski, who lives on the 2000 block of Pratt Court, said that two years ago his street was “out of control” with loud parties.
But he said student behavior has improved since University Police now operates in his neighborhood and the student conduct code now applies off campus. Both changes were implemented Fall Quarter
“I don’t automatically think that I need to put on a helmet and a gas mask and hide in the basement,” Lisinski said.
But some NU students said they don’t consider the community when making party plans. Weinberg sophomore Daniel Kramer said his Dillo Day drinking will start early, but he’s not worried about disturbing residents.
He said a daytime party is different than one that happens at 3 a.m.
“You’re not necessarily going to be disturbing anyone when it’s one in the afternoon,” said Kramer, who lives in an apartment on the corner of Church Street and Ridge Avenue.
Not all NU students are a problem, Irons said. But she said she is not only worried about the behavior of some students, but also that of the out-of-town guests who Dillo Day draws.
“Most of the universities are out now, so they have plenty of time to get in their little cars and get into Evanston and run amok,” she said. “It’s like Fort Lauderdale. They come in, they do their thing for the weekend and they leave.”
