Orange Crush kick-off party moves from Lake Mayer to Daffin Park Friday evening

All across social media, the Crush & Park celebration to kick off the three-day Orange Crush weekend was advertised for Lake Mayer, but like other events, organizers never secured the proper permits and the event didn't happen.

Early Friday evening, however, it appeared the party had moved north to Daffin Park, where HBCU students and others gathered for what was supposed to be a streetwear market in conjunction with the city's annual Earth Day celebration, according to organizer and student Kavonte Kelly.

But Earth Day organizers told the the streetwear market vendors to pack it up because, once again, vendors had not registered or obtained the required permits.

"We were trying... basically, trying to provide a safe space for Savannah State University students to be able to come together and provide a safe shopping experience," explained Kelly, "to be able to network and expand their brands. That was our whole mission and point of administrating the market."

Kelly suggested that due to Orange Crush this weekend, the city was on "high alert" and that's why they needed to shut down the market.

One vendor said he didn't know what the event was, just that he had seen it on Instagram, so he came out with his products. Crush and Park was promoted at Lake Mayer for the day, which had an open invite to vendors to come and set up ― which was a violation of the rules and regulations for park events.

District 4 Alderman Nick Palumbo, whose district includes Daffin Park, and the organizer of Earth Day said that although the streetwear vendors didn't go through the permitting process this year, if they wanted to come out next year, they'd be happy to work through that process.

Despite the setback, spring breakers from near and far held a party on one side of the park while Earth Day continued on the other.

What promoters and locals call Orange Crush is Tybee Island's largest unpermitted event, which started in 1988 as a gathering for and sponsored by Savannah State University. After only a few years SSU severed ties with the event after multiple arrests, a stabbing and drowning at the 1991 festival. Now, the island is implementing several traffic restrictions in an effort to mitigate the impacts on its resources from the 111,000 people that came over a three-day period in April 2023.

That doesn't mean the party's stopped for those who view Orange Crush as an HBCU tradition.

"I want to go because I've been going the past few years," Brooklyn Clay said, who goes to Savannah State University. "This is my third year in college, and I feel like I'm going to go regardless. Like we're going to be on our p's and q's, and we're not going to like, disrespect the law or disrespect Tybee Island, but I'm still going to go."

Xavier Johnson, who's from Atlanta and attended last year, feels similarly, but understands all the restrictions Tybee has in place.

"We do need to go out there and be responsible, you know, sober mind and sober thoughts, because things can happen," Johnson said. "You never know. There's going to be a lot of police, but I think people should have fun and be responsible."

Clay disagreed and said that she feels like Tybee could have been more open and welcoming, and her friend Toni Wallen said the same.

"It does make people feel like oh, I want to be there, just because you're telling me I can't be there," Wallen said.

Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Orange Crush party moves from Lake Mayer to Daffin Park