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Santa Barbara County officials this week approved a 72-hour ban on the annual Deltopia party in Isla Vista, a college town where University of California students flock to for spring break.
But the change may be a relief for nearby celebrity neighbors like Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who call nearby Montecito home.
The ordinance, unanimously approved during Tuesday’s board meeting, takes effect from midnight April 3 to midnight April 6 and bans amplified music in an attempt curb large, unpermitted gatherings of out-of-town crowds on Deltopia weekend.
County officials said Deltopia regularly attracts thousands of people, causing spikes in arrests, emergency medical calls, and public safety costs.
Emergency medical officials say calls during Deltopia weekends can surge up to 60 times higher than a typical Saturday, while sheriff’s and fire departments said the event has cost the county more than $465,000 in overtime since 2023, the Santa Barbara Independent reports.
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Santa Barbara County officials said Deltopia weekends can spike EMS calls 60-fold and cost over $465,000 in overtime since 2023 (Getty Images)
Authorities clarified that the ordinance still allows for sanctioned events organized through a government entity, such as the Isla Vista Community Services District.
The lively student atmosphere in Isla Vista is in striking contrast to the quiet luxury of Montecito, an affluent and private community roughly 22 minutes away that has been home to A-list celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rob Lowe and Jennifer Aniston.
University students — several of whom spoke at Tuesday’s board meeting — opposed the ordinance, claiming it would drive parties underground and potentially create greater safety risks.
University of California, Santa Barbara student leader EJ Raad argued that past bans on unsanctioned events often led to new large gatherings and reminded officials that Deltopia began nearly 20 years ago as the beach-based festival Floatopia.
“Deltopia began as Floatopia, an unsanctioned beach festival. An ordinance ended it. And what was the result? Students created Deltopia,” said Raad, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.
Deltopia, which saw riots and dozens of arrests among 20,000 attendees in 2014, has since been managed with measures like parking limits and education, while student groups have promoted drug harm reduction with the distribution of overdose reversal drug Narcan and organized medical support.
In 2020, during the first event in two years, authorities declared a “multi-casualty incident” at Deltopia due to numerous medical emergencies, including a woman who fell from a roof.
Isla Vista Community Services District Community Programs and Engagement Director Myah Mashhadialireza urged county officials to collaborate more with the community, saying that Isla Vista lacks the infrastructure to safely handle the yearly influx of visitors without a coordinated event.
However, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps argued that the county should focus on a sanctioned alternative that ensures public safety and allows for proper planning and emergency response.
The second and final vote on the ordinance is set for January 27, after which the Deltopia festival ban will take effect.