SANTA CRUZ >> While law enforcement reported encountering no significant violence during Santa Cruz’s Halloween revelry Thursday, arrests more than doubled compared to last year’s celebration.

An estimated 15,000 celebrants were drawn downtown for a sizeable event featuring closed streets and the annual “safety enhancement zone,” initiatedThursday morning and lasting through 8 a.m. Monday.

The crowd size estimate mirrored last year’s Halloween celebration and represented a significant attendance increase over 2022’s estimated 10,000 downtown visitors.

Meanwhile, city municipal code violations eligible for tripled fines in the safety zone dropped by nearly 25%, from 33 to 25 citations this year. Ticketable offenses included such violations as littering, blocking pedestrian or vehicular traffic and public alcohol consumption.

Katie Lee, a spokesperson for Santa Cruz police, said there were no significant incidents of violence downtown this year and added that what arrests did occur, did not stand out in a review of the department’s logs.

During the 2023 celebration, Police Chief Bernie Escalante reported an increase in “blatant open containers of alcohol offenders in our downtown.”

This year’s Halloween arrests included two for suspected drunken driving, one felony and 12 for alleged public intoxication.

Last year, the downtown festivities saw five alleged public intoxication and two felony arrests.

The California Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team and UC Santa Cruz Police Department each dedicated personnel and resources to assist the city during the Halloween celebrations.