JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When Orange Crush Festival first moved down to Jacksonville three years ago, it wasn't exactly welcomed.
Jacksonville Beach businesses closed their doors and the Jacksonville Beach mayor told First Coast News she had no issue with festival-goers -- but hoped the organizers would never plan anything there again.
Well, they are planning there again, but the man in charge is hoping he's done enough to change perceptions.
"It can be easily maintained here in Jacksonville versus Tybee Island where we had a one-way in, one-way out kind of thing," said Orange Crush Festival CEO Steven Smalls. "The congestion was the problem in Tybee. Here, we have a lot more space."
Orange Crush Festival is coming back to Jacksonville, and Smalls is trying to change how city officials and residents react to that news.
He's hoping the keys to doing that are spreading the four day party out across Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, and starting the planning process sooner.
"Just keep pushing forward showing them we are an organized event, just as well as any other organizations come through and do their festivals," said Smalls.
Although Orange Crush is associated with the beach, Smalls scheduled most of the events this year in the inner city.
The Thursday crush the mic talent show is in downtown Jacksonville at Justice Pub.
The Saturday night party is at an event center on the Westside and the Sunday car show is at a flea market on the Westside.
As for Jacksonville Beach, Smalls says they'll have a party at the pier, but he has an idea for keeping the decibels down - a silent disco.
"There'll be three different DJs, you might like Jazz, you might like R&B, you might like whatever the other DJ is playing," said Smalls.
The governments in Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach met to talk about managing public safety for the weekend and issued a statement saying in part:
"Due to the history of the event at its various locations, police departments across the area will assist to ensure that residents and visitors alike enjoy a safe weekend at the beach."
While most of the festivities are inner-city this year, Smalls is hoping to make enough of a positive impression to move some of it to the beach next year.
Although most of the festivities are focused on the inner-city this year, Smalls is hoping he'll leave enough of a positive impression to bring more of the events to the beach next year.
"I bring a crowd of people that wants to be a part of it, be accepted and not feel pushed out," said Smalls. "That's the biggest thing."
The mayor in Jacksonville Beach said no permits were issued for the festival, but they are preparing for a busy weekend.
Smalls says he'll have organizers and volunteers work to clean up the beach after it wraps up.
Everything starts Thursday and ends Sunday.