Orange Crush 2025: Popular Georgia vacation town approves return of crime-filled beach fest

Tybee Island, Georgia, is gearing up to host the highly anticipated—but also controversial—Orange Crush Festival in April 2025, marking the first time in decades that the event will take place with full permits from the city. The festival has long been a source of excitement for attendees but has also drawn criticism for its history of security issues, trash accumulation, and chaos. In an effort to balance the excitement of the event with the concerns of local residents, the Tybee Island City Council has set strict conditions that organizers must meet to ensure the festival runs smoothly and safely.

The announcement of the festival’s return has been met with a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism. On its Instagram page, the Orange Crush Festival shared a post expressing excitement about the upcoming event, stating, “We’re thrilled to announce that for the first time in decades, we are fully permitted and ready to celebrate April 18-20.” The festival has also promised that this year’s iteration will be the “BIGGEST Orange Crush Festival yet,” with organizers hyping it as an event that will be “legendary.” However, the road to gaining approval was not without its challenges. The Tybee Island City Council sent a conditional letter of approval to the festival’s organizer, Steven Smalls, on January 26, outlining a list of requirements that must be met before the city will issue a special events permit.

Among the conditions set by the city are requirements related to event timing and placement to ensure proper coordination with municipal services, measures to preserve public property, plans to prevent dangerous and unlawful behavior, and strategies for ensuring attendee safety and managing traffic. Organizers will also need to adhere to specific guidelines regarding the scope, intensity, location, type, and size of the event. If any of these conditions are not met to the satisfaction of local leaders, the permit could be revoked. This strict oversight reflects the city’s determination to avoid the problems that have plagued the festival in the past, such as widespread trash accumulation and security issues.

The Orange Crush Festival has a long and complex history in Tybee Island. In the early 1990s, the event gained notoriety for being a wild, crime-filled weekend, leading Savannah State University to disassociate itself from the festival in 1991. The event was marred by numerous arrests and reports of violence, which ultimately led to its departure from the island. In 2020, the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, it was moved to Jacksonville, Florida, reportedly due to issues such as limited resources, parking constraints, and allegations of civil rights violations and political injustices. However, the festival returned to Tybee Island in 2023, albeit without an official permit, and the event was once again overshadowed by chaos. Videos shared on social media showed violent brawls, with individuals engaging in fights and large piles of trash left behind on the beach.

The decision to bring the festival back to Tybee Island has been met with mixed reactions from locals and visitors alike. While some are eager to embrace the vibrancy and energy that the event brings, others remain wary of the potential for disruption and harm. The city council’s decision to impose strict conditions on the festival reflects a desire to find a middle ground, allowing the event to take place while also protecting the interests of the community and the island’s environment. For instance, the requirement to preserve public property is particularly important, as past iterations of the festival have left the beach littered with trash, creating an eyesore and a burden for local cleanup efforts. Similarly, the focus on ensuring public safety and preventing unlawful behavior is a direct response to the violent altercations that have become associated with the festival.

As the 2025 Orange Crush Festival approaches, all eyes are on whether the organizers can meet the city’s conditions and deliver a successful, trouble-free event. If they can, it could pave the way for future festivals and help to redefine the event’s reputation. However, if past patterns repeat themselves, it could lead to renewed calls for the festival to be banned from the island once again. Either way, the return of the Orange Crush Festival to Tybee Island represents a significant moment for the community, as it seeks to balance the benefits of hosting a major event with the need to protect its residents and environment. Whether this year’s festival will be remembered as a triumph or a tragedy remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: it will be an event worth watching.