The Orange Crush, a controversial Georgia College spring break bash, has brought violence and garbage piles to Tybee Island, a quiet Georgia Vacation Town, over the past few years. And this time, its organizers are committed to keeping the event safe and clean.
Orange Crush has this year with an agreement between organizers and officials from Tybee Island City, to keep the beach clean enough to be expected to be expected to see the sunrise from Tybee Beach Pier on Easter Sunday.
“Our area in southeastern Georgia has only bad memories of the event. [in recent years]. …Every time people involved who were not actually college students, it got out of control. They were just coming to make money,” Mayor Brian West told Fox News Digital. “Last year had a really good year. In my opinion, it wasn’t perfect, but it was a complete success.”
West added that if the event goes smoothly this year, city officials will work with event organizers to establish trust among locals and return the event to Tybee for future Spring Break Festivals.
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The town of Tybee Island is renting a state-owned beach pier to provide security during the orange crash. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
Tybee Island City Manager Bret Bell said at a press conference Wednesday. Recorded by WSAV – The city’s fourth press conference ahead of the Orange Crush since the permit process began earlier this year said, “Tybee has always been one of the great host communities in the South, and this weekend is no exception.
“Troublemakers are never welcome on Tybee Island, and this is no exception. But if you’re here to have a good time at one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, we welcome you with open arms.”
“If you’re here to have a good time at one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, we welcome you with open arms.”
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The college-age beach bash, previously held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at Tibee, will only be held on Saturdays this year as part of a contract with city authorities.
During the Orange Crash, people take a break from the party and see others from the pier at Tybee Island. (RJ Smith/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
The event will end at 8pm on EST. At this point, festival participants will need to leave the beach and head for Saturday night activities elsewhere in the nearby Savannah.
The entire police department on Tybee Island with around 30 officers will monitor the event, with around 130 officers from other local agencies providing assistance to Tybee for the festival.
Orange Crush has designated 25 people to help clean up after the event, and Tybee Island leaders are calling for support for subsequent volunteers.
“Bring your own garbage bag. Don’t wait for someone to sort you out. Just come and pick up the garbage,” Bell said.
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Tybee Island Mayor Brian West said a group of volunteers cleaned up after the Orange Crush for about a week of the event. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
The Orange Crush began in 1989 as a relatively small spring break gathering for Savannah students, but has since grown into a massive festival that local officials have struggled to control in recent years. The city addresses issues ranging from backing up ocean traffic and trash to shooting, fighting and stunting, West previously told Fox News Digital.
The event is no longer affiliated with Savannah and moved temporarily to Jacksonville, Florida in 2021, but has since returned to Georgia’s holiday spot, and is expected to attract tens of thousands of attendees to the three-mile island.
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People dance in the streets and cars as the sun sets at the Orange Crush Party on April 22nd at Tybee Island. (RJ Smith/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
“This is the first time we’ve received full permission and answered all the questions,” West told Fox News Digital. “So that was the first step. The promoters made an effort to do it the right way, and they were able to meet the permitting requirements to customize them for what we look like an event.”
“They were willing to work with us and create an event where both the cities and promoters could live together.”
West said he and other city officials are working with event promoters to work together “week” to ensure the festival goes smoothly.
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After people left the beach, they found other locations such as Sand Castle Inn and the Parking of Hotel Tybee on April 22nd to continue the orange crash party. (RJ Smith/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
West pointed out that “spring break is a problem” for many coastal cities in the southeast, and Tybee is no exception, but the city feels that it can make the orange crash a “better” event and reduce future restrictions.
Last month, Tybee Island granted special permission for the Orange Crush after negotiating a one-day event rather than a three-day event. It also acknowledged an agreed site plan to block access to Tybee Island parking lots, which West said had caused some malicious activity during past Orange Crash events.
Participants can also borrow beach equipment and there will be a special VIP area this year, West said. Additionally, Tybee Island brings in additional police officers to enforce public safety.
Party attendees lean through the car window during a traffic jam at Orange Crush on Tybee Island. (RJ Smith/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
In a Facebook post Thursday, the Tybee Island Police Department said local people should expect significant traffic delays and that as visitors to the small island “are abundant law enforcement officers from multiple agencies working on the island throughout the weekend.” The department will post emergency news on its Facebook page.
Orange Crush organizer Steven Smalls previously told Fox News Digital in a statement that his team “implemented a structured system to bring organization, security and entertainment to the event.”
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Workers are preparing the island of Tybee Island for an orange crash on April 16, 2024, using iron barricades to block street parking and side streets along Butler Avenue. (Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network.)
“I have worked closely with Tybee Island officials, including Mayor Brian West, Tybee Island law enforcement, Savannah and other key stakeholders, to develop strict plans for this year’s festival,” Smalls said. “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 a permit,” but this year, the event is officially structured because “for the first time there are security, waste management and traffic coordination.”
After being at Tybee Island Beach due to an orange crash, the group hangs out on the boardwalk. (RJ Smith/Savannah Morning News/USA TODAY Network)
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In 2018, Tybee Island enacted new regulations at Orange Crush Weekend, including restrictions on open alcohol as Tybee is an open container city. The relevant citizens of activist group Tybee complained about the regulations and were involved with the Department of Justice. Eventually, the group and city leaders reached an agreement in July 2018.
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.”
