“It sucks but it’s sort of necessary,” she said.

But the prohibition of campus parties merely demanded more creativity on the part of students, according to Alexandra P. Summer ’06.

“As far as students go, it made them find exciting and interesting outlets for their evening,” she said. “For example, I went Indian dancing.”

Harvard University Police Department spokesperson Steven G. Catalano said there were no unusual incidents related to the Head of the Charles.

The Out-of-Towners

With over 200,000 spectators from around the world converging on the Charles, at times the event took on a carnival-like atmosphere.

“I’m very surprised to see some things,” Angela Gordon ’07 said. “I didn’t know if I was in the right place at first.”

Wearing a green, red and white plaid kilt, Maurrey Nicolson—a Concord resident and University of Edinburgh alum—explained the necessity of donning traditional Scottish garb while supporting the Edinburgh crew teams.

“How are they going to know who their supporters are?” asked Nicolson, standing at Edinburgh’s reunion tent.

Cambridge Boy Scout Troop 45 sold caramel apples and blue cotton candy from their tent by the river, after sleeping there overnight.

“That was nerve-wracking because of the rain and then the cars rolled by,” scout Patrick O’Connor said.

Outside of the weather, weekend visitors shared varied impressions of New England.

“The people here aren’t as friendly,” Tennessee native and Duquesne University junior Kelly Sanese said.

“The drivers are terrible,” said Jennifer Suhadolnick, also from Duquesne. “We got side-swiped like six times yesterday,”

But Kaitlyn Jolly of Boston, who spent the day selling seafood to spectators said that she heard very different impressions.