Tybee Island Plans Town Hall for Orange Crush Festival 2025

News Summary

Tybee Island will hold a town hall meeting on March 21 to discuss the future of the 2025 Orange Crush Festival after conditional permit approval. Organizers have until March 19 to fulfill requirements. City safety is a priority, especially following past festival issues. The event is being transformed into a permitted one-day festival on April 19. The city is budgeting $215,000 for preparations amid concerns for safety and crowd management.

Tybee Island will hold a town hall meeting on March 21 to discuss the future of the 2025 Orange Crush Festival, after event organizers received conditional approval for their permit application.

The details of the town hall meeting are as follows:

• Date: March 21
• Time: 11 a.m.
• Location: Public Safety Building, 78 Van Horne St.

Organizers George Turner and Steven Smalls have until March 19 to meet the requirements of the conditional approval. Turner expressed optimism about fulfilling these requirements in time.

Brett Bell, the City Manager, reiterated that the city’s main priority is the safety of its residents, especially given the challenges posed by past festivals.

Here are some key points regarding the Orange Crush Festival:

• Established in 1988 for Savannah State University students, the festival is now unassociated with the university due to previous safety issues.
• Previously held without a permit, the festival is being transformed into a permitted one-day event scheduled for April 19.
• Last year’s festival faced significant problems, including crowding and complaints about drug and alcohol abuse.
• The city is budgeting up to $215,000 for preparations this year, following a spend of $187,000 last year for an unpermitted event.
• 140 personnel, including law enforcement and emergency services, were deployed for crowd management during past events.

The city’s authority under SB 443 now allows it to seek reimbursement from social media promoters for costs related to unpermitted events, following concerns raised by Mayor Brian West regarding the chaotic nature of the 2023 festival.

Efforts by Turner and Smalls aim to introduce proper organization, security, and traffic control to mitigate risks associated with the festival, which attracts tens of thousands of attendees to the small island.

As the city prepares for potential challenges if the permit is not approved, officials are taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of Tybee Island residents during the festival.

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HERE Resources

Tybee Island Set to Host Orange Crush Festival After 35 Years
Tybee Island Faces Economic Challenges from Unusual Winter Weather
Tybee Island Gears Up for Orange Crush Spring Break Bash
Tybee Island Prepares for the Annual Orange Crush Festival

Additional Resources

• Savannah Now: Tybee Island Town Hall on Orange Crush
• Fox News: Orange Crush 2025 Permit Showdown
• Savannah Now: Orange Crush Promoter Accountability
• Wikipedia: Tybee Island
• WSAV: Orange Crush Festival Permit Approval