- March 24, 2026
Daytona Beach is looking to break from its image as a Spring Break destination after recent unsanctioned gatherings have caused real safety concerns.
“Daytona Beach should no longer position itself as a spring break destination. It is not a decision against tourism, but a decision against unsanctioned, high risk activity,” said Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young at the City Commission’s meeting on March 18.
Over the weekends of March 13-15 and 19-21, Daytona Beach saw an influx of visitors following social media-promoted, unofficial “takeover” events. The initial March 13-15 incidents caused panic on Daytona’s beaches when after some visitors attempted to instigate a stampede using water bottles to simulate gunfire. That weekend also held four shootings in Daytona Beach, at least three of which involved visitors.
Young said the influx of visitors through these unsanctioned events put a strain on city safety resources, especially as it occurred immediately after Bike Week.
Daytona Beach is unique, he said, in the number and frequency of major events year-round. It requires DBPD officers to work significantly more mandated special events assignments than in comparable agencies.
“That's not sustainable, and it's not something we should accept as normal,” Young said.
To combat similar chaos over March 19-21, the city instituted a special event zone for the weekend that included doubling the fines for any non-criminal traffic infractions. The Commission also implemented a seven-day state of emergency period, including an extended youth curfew from 8 p.m. to .
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office implemented its own special event zone on Daytona Beach’s shoreline on March 18 along the barrier island between University Boulevard and Silver Beach Avenue.
The DBPD also had more officers patrolling the streets while Volusia Sheriff’s Office deputies were out in-force on the beaches, which are under the VSO’s jurisdiction.
Though these were the immediate impacts of the Spring Break chaos of the March 13-15 weekend, the City Commission may be looking at more involved efforts for future Spring Breaks.
“I'm okay with saying that we don't want to be a spring break destination for teenagers or college kids,” Mayor Derick Henry said.
Henry and the commissioners considered implementing a Spring Break Task Force to help curb Spring Break in the future. Commissioner Paula Reed said the city needs to update its image.
“We need to show people who we are or who it is that we desire to be,” Reed said. “Spring break will still happen. We'll control spring break, but we need to decide what kind of city we really want to be.”
“We need to at least at minimum hear all the voices, well, as many voices as we possibly can,” she said.
Young proposed Daytona Beach implement an ordinance similar to that of Panama Beach or Miami Beach, which had previously implemented restrictions for Spring Breakers.
The commission has not implemented any greater change than the temporary curfew and special event zone, but, attorney Ben Gross said the legal time is looking into creating something similar for the city.
Commissioner Dannette Henry said she would like to hear more from the community before the city changes direction.
Mayor Henry agreed and said the commission wants to also hear from the businesses and hotels as well. Commissioner Henry said it’s going to take time to decide on and implement the direction Daytona Beach wants to take its relationship with Spring Break.
“We've got to have a solid game plan and it's got to be super solid,” she said.
