Drink, play, float. For beachgoers, it’s a gathering for fun times.
But the April 30 weekend may not be idyllic on the island.
The Bradenton Beach Police Department would have all its officers standing by in case a massive beach party, Floatopia, comes to the island.
“Right now it’s just a rumor,” Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said April 21, “But if it does happen, there’s nothing we can do to stop it, but we can attempt to control it.”
Speciale said he was informed of the rumor by a contact in the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Coquina Beach is a public beach, so the city can’t prevent gatherings there.
However, Mayor Bill Shearon said he and Speciale have the power to declare a state of emergency and can shut down the beaches if the party gets out of control.
To help ensure safety, Shearon said he’s reached out to Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson and Longboat Key Mayor Jack Duncan for police assistance, if it’s needed.
Floatopia was in Miami Beach April 16.
Miami Beach Mayor Phillip Levine tweeted April 17, “Floatopia is not a city-sanctioned event. We will stop this chaos from happening again.”
Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco called the event “an absolute travesty.” His video posted on Facebook showed beaches covered in trash and debris in the aftermath of the crowd.
Lucky ducks
Floatopia is a large beach party attended by thousands of partygoers. The event was started in 2003 in Santa Barbara, California, and has grown across the United States and around the world. In Florida, such events have been held at Miami Beach and on Peanut Island.
Floatopia gets its name from the massive number of floatation devices attendees bring to the party.
A 2014 event in California was reported to have had approximately 15,000 attendees.