A Spring Break Festival is coming back to a small island in Georgia as its quiet residents are expecting nearly 50,000 rowdy college-age partiers to overrun its beaches this weekend.
The long-standing Orange Crush festival on Tybee Island was a local college tradition dating back to the 1980s, but what started as a cherished ritual turned into what locals described as a ‘riotous’ festival.
Now, residents of the island are preparing for the large crowds to take over as the festival is set to begin today.
In its early days, the event was organized by students at the nearby Savannah State University, but it transformed into an event that draws large crowds to the small island, which officials have struggled to rein in.
The 2023 run of the festival was described by Mayor Brian West as ‘complete mayhem.’
‘Parking area basically became disaster areas because we had people who were either shooting off fireworks that sounded like guns, or they were actually shooting guns, and people were running and stampeding… it was riotous. It was really bad,’ West told Fox 5.
Orange Crush controversy is sparked not only by the disruption, violence and noise pollution, but also the trash remnants scattered across the island.
‘Our whole region of southeast Georgia has nothing but bad memories about this event [in recent years],’ Mayor West told Fox. ‘It got out of control whenever people got involved who weren’t really college students. They were coming just to try and make money or whatever.’
‘We had a really good year last year. It was a complete success, in my opinion, although it wasn’t perfect.’
The scenic island has a one-lane road that leads to it from the popular Southern city of Savannah, and with the event attracting thousands of people, traffic chaos is inevitable as some cars end up on neighboring islands because they can’t make it on to Tybee.
‘It’s very uncomfortable for the people who live in this area,’ West added. ‘People actually drive through other people’s yards. It can get really out of hand.’
This year, its organizers are working with the island officials for a more harmonious agreement between the festival and the island residents.
The festival obtained proper permits this year as well as reaching an agreement with Tybee Island city officials to keep the beach clean.
‘This is the first time that we have ever received a permit that was complete and answered all of our questions,’ West said. ‘So, that was the first step. The promoters made the effort to do it the right way.
‘And then… they were able to meet the permit requirements as we kind of customize them for what we would like the event to look like.’
West is hopeful that the collaborative efforts to improve the festival’s relationship with the island will help continue the tradition with welcoming arms.
On Wednesday, the island’s City Manager Bret Bell said at a press conference that ‘Tybee has always been one of the great host communities of the South, and this weekend will be no different.
‘Troublemakers are never welcome on Tybee Island, and this is no exception to that. But if you’re here to have a good time on one of the most beautiful spots on Earth, we welcome you with open arms.’
The bash was previously held over the entire weekend, Friday. Saturday and Sunday, but this year it will only be taking place on Saturday, as per the agreement with officials, and ending at 8pm.
Attendees will be ushered from the beaches and encouraged to spend the remainder of their Saturday night elsewhere in Savannah.
The island’s entire police department, of about 30 officers, are expected to be patrolling the festival along with around 130 officers from other agencies for support, Fox reported.
Orange Crush has also designated 25 people to help keep the beaches clean, and the island has also asked for volunteers to help assist with the cleanup.
‘Bring your own trash bags. Don’t wait for someone to come organize you. Just come and pick up litter,’ Bell added.
Festival organizer Steven Smalls told Fox in a statement that his team had ‘implemented a structured system to bring organization, security and entertainment to this event – something that has never been done before.’
‘I have worked closely with Tybee Island officials, including Mayor Brian West, law enforcement in Tybee Island and Savannah and other key stakeholders to develop a rigorous plan for this year’s festival,’ Smalls said.
‘Our team has followed a strict schedule to ensure that every detail is carefully organized and executed with safety and structure in mind.’
Tybee Island, a three-mile island that has long flown under the radar, has also recently climbed the ranks of ‘must see’ destinations.
Despite being a hotspot for top-tier celebrities like Sandra Bullock, John Mellencamp and best-selling author Mary Kay Andrews, the little island is known for its small-town feel, chock-full of rich history, locally owned businesses and breathtaking beaches.
Judy O’Neill, a real estate agent on the tiny island, told the DailyMail.com: ‘We have had some celebrities here before, Sandra Bullock owned a house here, John Mellencamp too.
‘They have since [come and gone], but there could be others living here, we just don’t know! I think people just really like the idea of being here.’
The long-time agent added that property values on Tybee have skyrocketed, much like the rest of the country, following the pandemic.
‘Home prices have practically doubled since the Covid pandemic,’ she said, adding, ‘I sold my first house in 1999 for $35,000, today, the same house would probably go for close to $500,000.’
O’Neill also said that the season for a ‘good deal’ is no longer as the market is ‘high all the time.’
Founded in 1733, the awe-inspiring island played a key role in the American Revolution and was once home to the tallest structure in America – the Tybee Island Lighthouse, which is now a popular tourist attraction.
The historic lighthouse that stands at a whopping 90-feet tall, has since been rebuilt several times but remains one of only a few 18th-century lighthouses still operational in North America.
‘Tybee is a funky little island,’ Gay said. ‘Tybee is a destination island. People from across the country from New York to California come to Tybee and fall in love with it, then move to Charlotte or Savannah and have a beach house to visit in the summers.’
Tybee is home to many other historical landmarks including the Tybee Pier and Pavilion, historic Fort Pulaski and the Tybee Post Theater – recently featured in famed actress Joey King’s new Netflix movie.
Located just 18 miles from Savannah – Georgia’s oldest city – stars like Miley Cyrus, John Travolta and Ben Affleck have also been drawn to vacation at Tybee’s peaceful shoreline.
Known for its miles of pristine coastline, the unassuming town offers an abundance of beautiful nature, a retreat away from the fast-paced lifestyle of Hollywood.
‘Tybee is a great place to live. There is a ton of community spirit,’ O’Neill said. ‘If you get bored, you can just drive over the bridge and go to Savannah. Then come back and appreciate it some more.’