Santa Barbara officials close Isla Vista beaches ahead of wild Deltopia spring break party

Santa Barbara County officials have closed the beaches in Isla Vista over the weekend in anticipation of Deltopia, the raucous spring break party that has drawn thousands of local college students each year.

Beaches will be closed Friday through Sunday because of Deltopia, which isn’t a sanctioned event and doesn’t have permits, according to a county news release.

“The beaches will be closed to protect public health and safety, and to protect the beach from excessive waste and litter,” officials wrote.

The party, made popular among UC Santa Barbara students who live in Isla Vista near the campus, was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed last year, resulting in multiple arrests and citations during the weekend-long event.

People who want to visit the beaches this weekend will be required to abide by a city ordinance that bars outdoor music festival activities in the area bound by El Colegio Road, Camino Majorca to Storke Road, Ocean Road to Stadium Road and the Pacific Ocean in the unincorporated area of Isla Vista.

In 2017, more than 40 people were arrested and 14 were injured. Between 6,000 and 8,000 people attended the event.

In 2014, authorities arrested at least 100 people during a riot that broke out at the party and used tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang grenades to control the crowd.

The incident started when a UCSB police officer was hit in the head with a backpack containing bottles of alcohol, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. The crowd became unruly and started throwing rocks and bottles at officers after an arrest was made.