JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Jacksonville Beach is expected to have a lot more fanfare Father's Day weekend as the Orange Crush Festival begins next Friday.
The event is expected to bring between 5,000 to 15,000 people into the area for the three-day festival.
It has Marcus Williams on his toes and on the phone.
"Today, my office alone probably took 15 to 20 calls," Williams explained to First Coast News.
He's the CEO of Protective Enterprises Public Safety and says calls for security keep coming. As of now, he's staffing 15 businesses with extra security.
"Folks just really want to ensure that their businesses are safe, they're safe, their customers are safe and secure," Williams said.
He's bringing in security teams from as far away as St. Petersburg. This isn't the first time he's coordinated coverage for Orange Crush. Williams worked the event in Tybee Island, Georgia.
"To see them come to Jacksonville, we just want to make sure that all of the properties that we service are safe and secure and that people are vigilant, alert," he said.
Williams doesn't expect the need for extra manpower to slow down either, anticipating calls even during the three-day festival.
"After the pandemic, you have a lot of people outside, a lot of folks that want to get to the beach and they just want to have a good time," Williams said.
As of Tuesday evenings, a few businesses in Jacksonville Beach announced they will be closed during the festival, most notably the Landshark Bar & Grill at Margaritaville.
However, other businesses have promised to stay open, welcoming the additional business into the city.