Sunday, March 23, 2025 A small Georgia destination and the organizers of the historically chaotic Orange Crush festival are teaming up to enhance safety and organization for this spring’s event. Orange Crush, a spring break celebration in Tybee Island, Georgia, was once organized by students from Savannah State University. However, in 2023, the event led to “complete mayhem” on Tybee Island, according to Mayor Brian West.
Despite this, West remains hopeful for a smoother event this year. On Friday, March 21, West hosted a town hall to address community concerns about the upcoming event, scheduled for Saturday, April 19, in Tybee Island. He kicked off the meeting by sharing the history of Orange Crush, which started in 1989 as a small spring break gathering but has evolved into a massive festival that local officials have struggled to manage in recent years.
On Friday, West outlined the town’s comprehensive strategies to manage traffic, parking, and safety for both festival attendees and residents during the weekend of April 19. In December, Orange Crush organizers Steven Smalls and George Turner reached out to Mayor West to request the event’s first official permit from Tybee Island. On January 29, Tybee Island issued a conditional approval letter, and local officials have since been in discussions with the organizers to finalize event plans.
On Thursday, Tybee Island granted a special permit for Orange Crush, following negotiations to shorten the event to a single .
