By Eli Segall

Special to The Sentinel

Hundreds of people filled College Park's Santa Fe Café on Halloween night to watch and help judge the annual costume contest. Mario, Luigi and even a Rubik's cube came out to celebrate the popular holiday with food, alcohol and costumes.

Outside, a Prince George's County police sergeant slapped handcuffs on a dressed up Girl Scout, and then posed for a picture. The Girl Scout, who was quickly unshackled, grabbed her camera and darted off.

Meanwhile, a ninja, a farmer and Fred and Wilma Flintstone stood in line for the ATM at Bank of America. With cash in hand, they soon joined the mobs of other costumed college students piling into bars to celebrate Halloween.

Not everyone dressed up, though.

"I just came to eat some wings," said college sophomore Zeke Bai, while he smoked a cigar on the patio.

Eights hours earlier, at 2:30 p.m., one of the bars was nearly empty. At the Santa Fe Café on Knox Road and Route 1, just two people sat inside watching TV, while four others ate baskets of chicken wings on the patio. University of Maryland junior Danielle Michael, one of the four, said she might return to Santa Fe that night to watch the famed costume contest.

"My friends got second place last year," Michael said. "They were Winnie the Pooh and Friends."

The winners had more risqué costumes, she added. "Usually it's guys judging."

In addition, some outfits were not really costumes.

"I actually have a broken leg," said Pat Mullee, while using a crutch.

Nearly 10 males and a dozen females entered their respective gender's costume contest, which was held on the stage in the back of Santa Fe. Audience applause determined who took home the $100 prize.

A stout, bald man dressed as the tooth fairy, replete with tutu, wings and painted eyes, was declared winner of the men's category. A cigar dangled from his mouth.

"I didn't even know about the contest until I got here," the tooth fairy, 25-year old Antoine Cave of Baltimore, said after he left the stage.

A sailor won the women's category, beating out Batgirl, a pineapple and a belly dancer, among others.

Beefy security guards in red shirts were sprinkled throughout Santa Fe all night.

"So far so good," said guard Manny Williams, as he chewed a plastic straw. Williams, who is 6-foot-5 and weighs "a lot, like 300 or something," stood near the bar.

Across the street, a dozen Prince George's County and University of Maryland police cars sat in the College Park Shopping Center, waiting for action.

"Everything's pretty quiet on the campus side," said a University police officer.

Photo by Marketa Ebert