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Motorists traveling through downtown Appleton should plan alternate routes during the Octoberfest weekend.

License to Cruise will take place on Friday, September 25, 2015. It begins at 6 PM and ends at 9:30 PM. To allow for staging of the vehicles involved in the event, College Avenue will close between Drew and Lawe Streets at 1PM. The remainder of College Avenue (from Memorial Drive/Richmond Street to Drew Street) will close two hours later at 3 PM.

Participants with vehicles in the License to Cruise event are reminded that shows of power (spinning tires, burn outs) are not permitted. Vehicles should not have motors running at any time during the actual event. Vehicles involved in the event will begin to load onto College Avenue at 4 PM (featured vehicles) and 4:30 PM (all other involved vehicles).

License to Cruise is an alcohol free event.

Following the event, College Avenue will remain closed throughout the night and during the duration of Octoberfest.

Octoberfest takes place on Saturday, September 26, 2015. It runs from 9AM until 6 PM.

Cross traffic will be restricted at the intersections of College Avenue and Morrison Street and the intersection of College Avenue and Appleton Street.

The specific times for these closures are as follows:

License To Cruise (Friday, September 25, 2015): Appleton Street and

Morrison Street will close at College Avenue between 6 PM and 10 PM. All other cross streets along College Avenue from Memorial Drive/Richmond Street to Drew Street will be closed the entire event starting at 3 PM.

Octoberfest (Saturday, September 26, 2015): Appleton Street and Morrison Street will be closed at College Avenue between 9 AM and 6 PM. All cross streets along College Avenue from Memorial Drive/Richmond Street to Lawe Street will be closed for the entire event starting at 5 AM and will not reopen until event clean up is completed (at approximately 9 PM). Event attendees can assist in the clean-up process by giving crews from the City of Appleton Department of Public Works the space they need for equipment operation.

A bypass route has been planned for northbound motorists on South Oneida Street (crossing the Skyline Bridge). It utilizes W. Prospect Avenue and diverts traffic to S. Memorial Drive. For motorists traveling southbound on N. Appleton Street, traffic will be diverted on W. Franklin Street to N. Richmond Street. These detours will be marked. During the events, Appleton Police Department personnel will monitor traffic conditions. To avoid the congested downtown area, motorists are encouraged to use the East College Avenue Bridge or South Memorial Bridge, in lieu of the Skyline Bridge.

New to the event is a large message board. The Appleton Police Department will have this board in the area of Houdini Plaza. Any updates to the event status will be posted on this board (to include weather warnings).

The Appleton Police Department will not have a command vehicle at N. Appleton Street and W. College Avenue. If individuals become separated from their children, they are requested to respond to the Avenue Mall (College/Oneida). Two officers are assigned to the location. It is suggested that parents take a photo of their children upon arrival at the event. This information could be distributed electronically to event personnel, should a parent and child become separated.

The Appleton Police Department encourages attendees to follow event updates on the Appleton Police Department’s Twitter (@AppletonPD_WI) and Facebook page.

A reminder to those individuals attending theses events:

• NO alcoholic beverage carry-ins allowed at the events
• NO glass containers
• A wristband is required for the purchase of alcohol at Octoberfest
• Wristband and ticket sales end at 5 PM
• The sale of alcohol ends at 5:30 PM
• NO animals are allowed at special events
• Pedestrians must obey all traffic laws at intersections around the event
• Individuals consuming alcoholic beverages should plan a safe ride home.
• Extra patrols will be out during and after the events to help ensure a safe time for all.

  For additional information, please contact Sgt. David Lund at (920)832-5509.