What began as a crucial spring break event at the local University of Georgia in the 1980s has recently turned into a “riot” festival, bringing thousands of participants to a small island struggling to work actively with event organizers. I attracted it.
Orange Crush, a Georgia spring break event once organized by students at nearby Savannah State University, brought “complete mayhem” to Tybee Island in 2023, according to Mayor Brian West.
“The parking lot has basically become a disaster area because people were shooting fireworks that sounded like guns, and people were actually shooting guns, and people were running and stomping on the 2023 event.
The event is no longer affiliated with Savannah, but is expected to return to Tybee Island over Easter weekend and attract an estimated 50,000 participants to the three-mile-long island.
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During the Orange Crash on Tybee Island, Georgia, garbage can be seen along the beach as a spring breaker party near the pier on April 20, 2024. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
Since the event began in 1989, promoters have taken over the planning process with the goal of gaining more participants and more money. This transformed the orange crash into a wild weekend, according to the West, due to the normally quiet beach town.
Locals are complaining of garbage, traffic issues and violence as a result of the party and the masses of the people it portrays on Tybee Island. Particularly in the parking lot after sunset, participants will reach the top of the police car and engage in violent behavior, such as throwing glass bottles. Local leaders and law enforcement have been working to contain these issues to keep residents and Orange Crush participants as safe as possible.
“It was a complete mayhem.”
“One of our officers hit the head with a bottle. It was a complete mayhem. So we had to close the parking lot, so they're not available,” the mayor said in the 2023 Orange Crush. I explained about.
On April 20, 2024, it advertises parking during the Orange Crash on Tybee Island, Georgia. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
The Orange Crush organizers have applied for city permits for events that begin on April 18th, end on April 20th, despite having been operated without permission in the past. City leaders have given organizers a list of conditions to meet to receive their permission, but they have not yet accepted those conditions.
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“For the first time in decades, we are pleased to announce that we are ready and ready to celebrate April 18-20,” Orange Crash said in a Facebook post on February 19th. I did.
However, West expects the city will not approve the Orange Crush permission request as organizers begin working with “unreputable” promoters where Tibee Island leaders don't want to be involved in the event.
“The promoters who sought permission do not want to be involved in this and are working with other promoters, so it's very likely that they won't issue a permit right now,” West said.
Police officers have shown that law enforcement will conduct a traffic safety check on Tybee Island, Georgia on April 19, 2024. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
He is a city leader that the Orange Crush meets city requirements for event timing and placement requirements, coordination of city services, “preservation of public property,” prevention of dangerous and illegal behavior, and other conditions. Permissions as permission between the event organizers and the event organizers are:
Orange Crush CEO Steven Smalls told Fox News Digital that his team “implemented a structured system to bring organization, security and entertainment to the event.”
“I have worked closely with Mayor Brian West, Tybee Island law enforcement agencies and Savannah and other key stakeholders to develop a strict plan for this year's festival.” said Smalls. “Our team followed a strict schedule to ensure that all details were carefully organized and executed with safety and structure in mind.”
Smalls said the Orange Crush is a long-standing tradition that occurs with or without permission, but this year, the event has been officially structured with security, waste management and traffic coordination for the first time. So this year is different.
Workers set up barricades along Butler Avenue on April 16, 2024 to block street parking and side streets. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
“We cannot control all external promoters that associate ourselves with events, but we are the official organizers and take the necessary steps to bring accountability and order to the festival.” He continued. “If Tybee Island is concerned about certain individuals, we encourage consistent enforcement to all local businesses that have chosen to work with external promoters this weekend.”
Smalls asked, “Instead of rushing to judge, the public should allow this newly organized Orange Crush Festival an opportunity to show the positive changes we have made.”
“This is a new era of events, and for the first time there is a clear plan of action to ensure that it is structured and managed properly,” he said.
In past events, festival promoters formed circles packed with people in the beaches and parking lots. There, attendees must pay to see what is happening within the circle.
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Spring breakers dance with orange shattering. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
“When officers try to control all of that situation, all of a sudden they're surrounded by 5,000 people,” West said. “Even if they try to arrest someone, our prison is an hour away in Savannah, so that means taking officers out of work and leaving us where we need them. space.”
Tybee Island has a line of roads leading from the Savanna to the island, and the event attracts tens of thousands of people, leading to traffic disruptions, including cars going to nearby islands because they can't make it to Tybee. island.
“It's very uncomfortable for people living in the area,” West said. “People actually drive other people's yards, which can really get out of hand.”
Tybee Island rents a pier on a state-owned beach and offers security during an orange crash. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
The city attempted to control traffic by closing certain parking lots and assigning personnel to directly access the cars, except for nearby Backstreets. Tybee Island leaders closed the parking lot in 2024 and closed the parking lot in 2025. The city will also rent a pier on the beach so that law enforcement can use it during the event.
The Tybee Island police station usually has around 30 officers covering around 3,200 homes, so the city brings in other states and local officials over the Orange Crush weekend. Approximately 100-150 executives are expected for the April festival.
Participants from Orange Crush at past events are also scattered across parts of the beaches of Tybee Island, with trash in the sand and water.
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Participants from Orange Crush at past events are scattered across parts of the beach on Tybee Island, where trash is in the sand and water. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
“There's plenty of place to put garbage cans and trash, but attendees just throw garbage wherever they are,” West said. Last year, a festival was a supportive garbage pickup.
“Volunteers, hotel owners and several councillors started walking up and down the beach and picking up trash like that,” the mayor said. Schools and charities can also help organize volunteers to organize volunteers and clean the beach for about five to seven days of the Orange Crush.
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In 2018, Tybee Island cracked down on new regulations over the Orange Crush weekend, including restrictions on open alcohol as Tybee is an open container city. Increased traffic stops and property search. Restrictions on housing rentals. An activist group called Tybee officials was involved with the Department of Justice, complaining about the regulations. Eventually, the group and city leaders made mediation in July 2018.
Tybee Island Mayor Brian West said volunteers will clean up after an orange crash about a week of the event. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
The agreement states that Tybee applies the same rules and restrictions to all large events on the island, and applies equally to “permitted or not allowed.”
West said last year's orange crash was more successful than the 2023 festival after the city prepared more to alleviate crime and traffic issues. The university students who attended the festival were able to stay safe in 2024, the mayor said, but he has not encouraged people to attend.
“Parties need to be in a larger location with more access.”
In fact, West is urging Easter visitors and other tourists to avoid Tybee Island during the Orange Crush weekend.
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For those participating in the Orange Crush, West said “it's more likely that you can't have a good experience than you'll have a good experience.”
