The town does not generally field an increased number of noise complaints over the weekend and, according to Hanover town manager Julia Griffin, Hanover residents in general are not dissatisfied by the activity seen on Green Key.
Griffin did however note one consistent complaint from residents who have small children. With outdoor parties often come publicly-displayed drinking games, she said, and some Hanover parents wish their children would not see that aspect of the festivities.
"[Parents] don't really think that beer pong is the best display of what Dartmouth is all about," she said.
Each year, the weekend's highlights include the block party on Webster Avenue , which features a band playing in front of Phi Delta Alpha fraternity, and the lawn party at Alpha Delta fraternity. Students at parties in and around those events historically have often consumed alcohol outdoors or at least tried to drink, often by means of playing beer pong.
Although it is legal for those of drinking age to consume alcohol outdoors on a Greek house's private land, outdoor consumption is against College policy unless it occurs at a Greek house having a registered outdoor party, College Proctor Harry Kinne said. At the registered outdoor parties outdoor beer pong is permitted along with outdoor alcohol consumption "because the College does not prohibit drinking games," Kinne said.
Safety and Security will increase patrols over Green Key, as it does every other big weekend, and will send extra officers to big events such as the block party, Kinne said.
Hanover Police will not add on-duty officers over the weekend, as they do not always notice an increase in police activity over Green Key and other big weekends, Hanover Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone said.
Kinne and Giaccone both said that this weekend will not be one in which law enforcement turns a blind eye to drinking infractions, including underage consumption and drinking on Webster Avenue.
Recently students have been worried about the future of Tubestock, the summer event when students raft for a day on the Connecticut river, which will likely be canceled if and when the town of Hanover passes a law to require more extensive insurance this June. But despite the trademark Green Key parties and the added traffic in and throughout Hanover, both town and College officials say that the spring weekend's staples are not in jeopardy.
Griffin said that Green Key is different than Tubestock in that Tubestock compounds the risk of underage drinking with that of drowning.
"The thing we worry about with things outside of the river is underage consumption of alcohol, period," she said.
