Tybee Island, a popular coastal spot in Georgia, recently experienced a surge of visitors as tens of thousands of college students and alumni gathered for the annual Orange Crush Festival. This event, rooted in celebrating the culture of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU), has a history of lively celebrations and, occasionally, rowdy crowds.
This year, videos capturing wild brawls at the festival spread across social media, drawing national attention. One particularly striking video showed several women on the pier engaging in physical altercations, including throwing punches and wrestling. This scene was exacerbated as onlookers cheered and recorded the incidents while the background revealed litter strewn across the beach and more revelers dancing.
The chaotic scenes depicted in social media posts have the small Tybee Island Police Department still reviewing the events of the weekend. The small force, supporting a local population of about 3,000, found itself stretched thin as it dealt with the influx of festival-goers. Police are currently sifting through records and expect to release a detailed incident report soon.
Tybee Island, Georgia invaded by Orange Crush Spring breakers.
How it started, and how it ended!
TRASH! pic.twitter.com/unAMVzHFGL
— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) April 23, 2024
The Orange Crush Festival has been an annual tradition since the late 1980s, originally starting in Jacksonville, Florida, for HBCU students and alumni. However, in recent years, it has shifted location to Tybee Island. Last year, the festival attracted between 40,000 and 55,000 attendees, and while most participants enjoyed the festivities peacefully, there were instances of disorder and unruliness.
No Peace at Savannah’s Orange Crush as Women Brawl Breakout Over The Weekend At Spring Break Event pic.twitter.com/cmfIZS7KQC
— SHO’NUFF (@IAMSHO_NUFF) April 22, 2024
I’m 1 of the original creators of “Orange Crush”. I’m EMBARRASSED by this 😔😔😟 https://t.co/dtAUXDTyfi
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) April 24, 2023
Some are calling “Orange Crush” the new “Freaknik,” which was a similar festival that took place in Atlanta, Georgia however was shut down in 2010 due to violence.
