Skee ball, bumper cars and laser tag generally draw a fairly young crowd to the Space Center in Hooksett, but on May 30, there was a decidedly different mood at the building.

As many as 500 people, coming from as far away as Boston, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, showed up for what is commonly called a rave – a dance fueled by electronic music and often associated with the use of drugs. Attendees often dress in costumes and clothing that glow in blacklight, dancing to a loud techno beat and swinging glowsticks.

Whether such a party will take place again at the Space Center is now up in the air, given that the town issued a notice of violation to the business, noting it is not allowed to be open after 11 p.m. on weekends.

The complaints While those attending the event called it one of the best they’d ever been to, neighbors complained that night of noise, traffic and litter.

Maura Ouellette, who lives near the Space Center, said people started parking along Zapora Road and then into her Autumn Run neighborhood.

“You could hear the boom boom boom of the music at my house,” she said.

Olivia Johnston posted this comment on the Hooksett Issues Web site: “I see that trash has been left everywhere and no one is being held accountable for this.”

Of concern to others was police presence, or lack thereof. Kelly Kozlowski, 20, of Hooksett, said she arrived at 11 p.m. to find a big crowd entering and many cops.

However, the people wearng black T-shirts with “POLICE” printed on them were actually security hired by the event organizer, Tight Crew.

Only two uniformed Hooksett officers were at the scene, and they had been called there for the complaints, not as part of a security detail.

Hooksett police Lt. Troy Cline said no arrangement had been made for a security detail with the Hooksett Police Department, and officers discovered the crowd in the parking lot while on patrol.

Cline said there were no arrests associated with the event.

“There were complaints made to the dispatch center by four individuals,” he said. “Two of these residents of the same address. There were a total of six calls handled throughout the course of the night. The complaints were for the noise, predominantly, and the parking on Springwood Drive and littering secondarily.”

A poster on RaversOnly.com noted that at least one Hooksett resident took advantage of the event: “As we pulled in, we saw a gigantic line wrapped around the building ... something i was NOT expecting to see! :-) We couldn’t park in the parking lot, so we went up the street and paid some local guy $5 to park in his driveway. He must of made an easy $100 letting people park there!”

Aren’t raves all about drugs?

Keith Woods, owner of Tight Crew, who rented the Space Center for the party, said he runs a clean event.

“A rave is a radical audio visual experience. Pretty much it’s like a nightclub without all the hangups and drama and fights and drunk idiots who don’t really care because they live five minutes away and can start a fight outside,” said Woods. “ It was not really about drugs until ‘20/20’ came up with the drug story, then they went downhill and died out. We have a much different approach. We try to make sure everybody’s as clean as can be. It’s not so much it’s the rave or the concert, any gathering of people – people are going to be indulging. We try to stop it from coming in the building. try to make it the safe environment for anybody to attend.”

Ryan Clough, 18, of Malden, Mass., attended and agreed it was a clean event.

“This was actually the most secure-feeling event I’ve been to,” he said. “I had to empty all my pockets, I was fully patted down (as was everyone else, it took forever for some people to get in), inside if you had a backpack, the bag was thoroughly searched. Most raves or even just clubs involve a quick bag check and that’s about it.”

Clough and others on RaversOnly.com remarked on the security at the event.

“Personally, this event was the most anal about security I’ve ever been to, including club venues and such with private security.” said Clough. “I didn’t mind it so much, but I knew a couple people who weren’t so happy about it.”

Nevertheless, Cline said drugs are, as a rule, part of these events, with spiked fruit and water bottles, and candy necklaces containing drugs.

Clough disputes that.

“It’s easy to pick on raves for drug use and whatnot, but here’s what I’ve got to say about this,” he said. “Almost every rave is going to have drug users. It’s inevitable, people are going to try it no matter how stringent you are on security. That being said, the same exact thing goes for legitimate club venues around the world; they have the term “club drugs” for a reason. Were there people at Space Jam on drugs? Definitely. With the way security was though, I’d say there were probably far fewer people on drugs and the availability was far diminished from that of a rave without security, or even a club. To clarify, I’m saying I’ve seen more people on drugs at a fully legal club.”

Clough insisted raves are not about drug usage.

“It is most certainly not a ‘drug party,’” he said. “If you refer to it as that, you are hurting years of work and offending many people, including myself, who stay completely clean and enjoy raves for what they are meant for – dancing, and having a good time with your friends.

Ed Florian, owner of the Space Center, said the event was clean as well.

“There was no trouble, no fights. They’re a great bunch of kids,” he said. “The company that does the Space Jam is very professional. It’s good clean fun. What’s wrong with having teenagers come in here, in a safe place, rather than getting into trouble? We cater to all ages, from kids to young adults. What’s the big deal? When teenagers are involved – teenagers can’t have fun?”

May not be a next time According to the Ravers Only.com Web site, another party is scheduled for the Space Center on Aug. 29, but that may be in jeopardy, as the venue was issued a notice of violation by the Hooksett code enforcement officer, Peter Rowell, on June 3.

Essentially, the Space Center agreed that it would have operation hours of 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends. The Space Jam rave went from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Rowell said there has been no fine issued at this point, but the Space Center does face a possibility of being fined $275 per day from June 3 on if it has another event after hours. While Florian said he had received no notice of any problems as of June 9, Rowell said he is sure Florian’s attorney has been notified, and he did speak with managers of the Space Center.

Overnight events, often called lockdowns or lockins, are common events. Scout troops have held overnight events at the Space Center.

“We hold these events once or twice every month or two,” said Florian. “We’ve had YMCA groups, prom night, camps, even Jeanne Shaheen.”

Rowell said there is no procedure in place for an exception to a business’ zoning rules. If the Space Center or anyone else wanted to put on an event where a large crowd was expected, he said they would have to appear before the town and ask for permission.

“If he came in and said he wanted lockdown with the Boy Scouts,” said Rowell, “I’d say write it up, and I’d have to pass it by the police, fire department, town administrator to make some type of ruling.”

“This is not abnormal,” said Florian. It’s a common thing. They do them at gyms, keep people out of trouble in a safe environment, not on the streets where they can get in trouble. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s all by the book.”