Orange Crushed: Tybee Island bans alcohol and loud music for beach party weekends

The City of Tybee Island has voted to restrict alcohol and amplified music on the Island during this year’s highly-publicized Orange Crush beach party.

On the dates of April 14-16 and April 21-23, any unpermitted amplified music on the beach or in the beach’s surrounding parking lots is prohibited. Public consumption of alcohol is also banned for the entire city those two weekends, excluding permitted businesses such as sidewalk cafes.

City Council approved the resolution on Thursday, citing Orange Crush event organizers’ failure to obtain an event permit as the reasoning behind the restriction.

Specifically, the resolution reads the event is a threat to public safety due to the event’s promotion as a networking event for “tens of thousands of brands, labels, artists, host dancers, models and professionals from all over the country” as well as a free beach party where drinking on the beach is legal.

According to the resolution, social media indicates the crowd size will be so large the city could not “conceivably provide services” for participants.

The resolution also notes the event’s history of “unlawful and sometimes violent” behavior.

The event website still describes the event as having “60,000+ people,” “DJ’s from all over the country” and that it’s “legal to drink on the beach.”

Orange Crush is also being promoted as occurring on “420 weekend.”

The beach party on Tybee Island is the main event of Orange Crush, however, additional events will be held in Savannah and Hardeeville.

The website also encourages attendees to book hotels outside of Tybee, including on Hilton Head Island and in Beaufort.

This story was originally published April 1, 2017 at 7:29 PM with the headline "Orange Crushed: Tybee Island bans alcohol and loud music for beach party weekends."