Deltopia

Deltopia, originally known as Floatopia, is a social event that began in 2004 and takes place annually in Isla Vista, California. The event was started by University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), students and occurs on the first weekend following the start of UCSB's spring quarter, primarily along Del Playa Drive. Participants are primarily college students. In its early years, attendance was estimated at a few hundred participants, but in later years, it grew to an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 attendees. The former title, "Floatopia", described the main activity the event was known for – floating on rafts and other floating devices along the Pacific coast in conjunction with a beach party. The event grew in attendance with an estimated 12,000 participants in 2009. Local authorities were not expecting a crowd of this magnitude, which left environmental destruction and numerous legal and medical cases in its wake. County officials took preventative measures to ensure similar parties did not occur, and the legislation turned "Floatopia" into a terrestrial-based "Deltopia" block party for following iterations. The popularity of Deltopia saw spin-off events created in San Diego, Miami Beach, Florida, and other locations across the world. Historically, the event has seen numerous arrests and injuries causing local authorities to allocate more resources in response. Environmental impacts have followed Deltopia and cleanup efforts have sprung up as a result, taking place after each event.