Ready for a party? Don’t go to Isla Vista

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

Beaches will be closed through Sunday.

Deltopia is not a sanctioned event and does not have permits, according to a news release from Santa Barbara County.

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

The weekend-long 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 arrests and citations.

Anyone who wants 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 to the north by El Colegio Road, Camino Majorca to Storke Road in the west and Ocean Road to Stadium road in the east.

In 2017, more than 40 people were arrested and 14 were injured during Deltopia. 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 Deltopia and used tear gas, pepper spray and flashbang grenades to control the crowd.

The riot began 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, the department said.