Photo by Dan Kohler Despite some large crowds, it was a fairly quiet Not Fred Fest this year.

Fredonia officials congratulated numerous people this week for a relatively placid “Not Fred Fest” weekend.

This year’s edition of the spring party weekend for SUNY Fredonia students (not endorsed or organized by the university, as its officials will gladly point out) was May 3 and 4. Rainy weather likely played a big role in tamping down any wild activity.

A stepped-up law enforcement presence, featuring outside agencies helping Fredonia police, also presumably helped out. Mayor Michael Ferguson thanked numerous entities for their assistance.

He thanked the Fredonia fire and police departments, SUNY Fredonia’s police, SUNY Fredonia President Stephen Kolison, the university’s student government, the New York State Police, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department. Ferguson also thanked the people, “including Trustee (Nicole) Siracuse and many, many others, who took the middle of the night to drop off food and beverages” for first responders.

“We are proud to say that for the first time in over three years, there was no major event that caused police action at Fredonia (Not) Fred Fest,” Ferguson said. He assured that stakeholders are still working to put together on-campus events for Not Fred Fest 2026.

“There was a lot of people that took care of us that weekend,” Fredonia Police Chief David Price said. He mentioned The Catering Company, Fredonia Heating and Plumbing, Steve St. George, Lauren Boyle, and Siracuse.

“There’s many (others) that just didn’t want to be mentioned,” Price added.