More than 30,000 people crowded Franklin Street on Friday night for the traditional Halloween bash.

Despite a handful of arrests, citations and EMS calls, the Town of Chapel Hill managed to keep citizens and visitors safe to have some wicked fun.

Over in Carrboro, the darker, rock-and-roll side of Halloween was celebrated with a set by Wack Sabbath, made up of local musicians, playing on the deck behind Back Alley Bikes, as a big guy in a bunny costume banged his furry head, ears flopping, in front of them.

A little more than a half-mile up the road, people from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, and all around North Carolina walked Franklin Street in their best costumes – an annual tradition as immortal as Dracula.

There were mutilated zombies, jail gangs, and Captains America. Many brave, goosebumped young folks wore skin-baring outfits in spite of the chill in the air.

Daniel Pressley of Chapel Hill works at Southern Season. But that’s not his true occupation, made obvious and awesome by his Halloween attire.

“I am a gladiator,” he said. “That is my occupation tonight.”

Pressley said he’s only lived in Chapel Hill for a few years, and that he loves the energy here – especially on Franklin Street on Halloween night.

“This is actually my first one in Chapel Hill, and I’m just like, loving it, you know?” said Pressley.

Public Information Officer Lt. Josh Mecimore of the Chapel Hill Police said that around 307 police officers were patrolling Franklin Street, with support from officers from more than a dozen agencies, including personnel from the Highway Patrol, and some State Troopers on motorcycles.

The police presence was larger this year, based on a prediction that came true, according to Mecimore.

“We expected the possibility of a larger crowd, being that it’s on a Friday,” said Mecimore.

Forty EMS employees and 78 firefighters were also ready to help, if needed.

“And then we have a large number of our Public Works employees that are here to help with cleanup after the event,” said Mecimore. “Without all those people, we couldn’t make this happen.”

Police checked purses and knapsacks for prohibited items at barricades set up at entry points.

“They’ve collected some things, but most of those are simulated weapons and things like that, that are part of costumes,” said Mecimore. “But we tell people ahead of time, you can’t bring them in.”

That’s because a simulated weapon that’s rendered a little too realistically could cause an unwanted crowd surge, he added.

Overall, he said, the crowd, which peaked at 32.000 people, behaved well.

“They’re acting responsibly and respectfully to each other, and people seem to be having a good time,” said Mecimore.

There are always some problems, though. One person was charged with simple assault, and two with public urination.

One was charged with simple possession of marijuana and carrying a concealed weapon.

There were three charges for carrying an open container of alcohol, three drunk-and-disruptive charges, and one person was charged for disorderly conduct.

One person was charged with simple affray, and one was charged for assaulting a firefighter and for resisting, delaying or obstructing.

Orange County EMS responded to 29 calls within the closed event, and the majority of the calls involved alcohol.

Unfortunately, Mecimore could not confirm whether any of the simulated weapons seized by police were “Game of Thrones”-related, because, let’s face it, that would have been cool.

“Anything that is left in those barrels after the event goes straight to the dump,” said Mecimore, with a chuckle. “We don’t keep any of the simulated weapons.”

Franklin Street was cleared at midnight, and re-opened at 1:06 a.m., after it was cleaned.