Three floors of Halloween madness

Dressed as Britney Spears with a platinum blond wig and glow-light breasts, Syracuse University senior Dave Mountain greeted costumed partygoers at his three-floor Halloween party Saturday night.

Britney Spears was just the beginning. 

Hundreds of Syracuse University students flocked to off-campus parties on Saturday to be a part of what has become a widely celebrated college tradition: Halloween weekend.

More than 100 people attended Mountain's three-floor Halloween bash at 311 Euclid Ave., which featured live music, a basement bar and a tarot reader. Hanging out in the kitchen on the second floor were Captain Crunch, E.T., Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger from “Brokeback Mountain” and a jelly fish.

Photo: AJ Chavar

Dressed as Britney Spears for Halloween, party host Dave Mountain spent most of the evening tending the bar in the attic.

"I think that I can throw a pretty good party," Mountain said. "I feel that if you pay $3 to $5 to get into a party there should be something super extravagant or fun."

Although there were three floors to choose from, the attic, where the live bands played, was packed by midnight.  Mountain's friend Asa Jones told fortunes on the second floor using tarot cards, a talent he picked up on the streets of Brooklyn. In the dark basement, a crowd gathered in front of a makeshift bar.

Partygoers said they thoroughly enjoyed the event.

"There's a really high-caliber quality of people here," said Phil Curtis, an SU senior dressed as the Marlboro Man. "At a party like this, you're going to see cool people."

Amid the cigarette haze in the attic, a band called D-Money — featuring two '90s grunge Tooth Fairies, a clown, and a drummer — played in the middle of the floor, surrounded by the crowd.  

After the party, Mountain said he thought his three-floor Halloween extravaganza went very well.

"School is so boring," Mountain said.  "If you don't have the chance to get out and have a good time, then what's the point?"

For more Newshouse Halloween coverage: Check out some SU students' costume ideas and Joe Blum's video commentary on the holiday.

Also: Zombies!