News

Actions

Partygoers leave 10 tons of trash on Virginia Beach after Memorial Day ‘Floatopia’

Posted at 9:04 PM, May 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-28 21:04:22-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Visitors to a beach in Virginia dumped 10 tons of trash and debris during an unofficial event some call “Floatopia,” city officials said.

The City of Virginia Beach released a statement saying the event was not permitted and they were disappointed in the condition the beach was left in after the event.

Video and images of the garbage went viral when residents started sharing what the beach looked like Monday morning.

Virginia Beach spokesperson Drew Lankford told CNN the event was not city-sponsored or sanctioned. The event began with a Facebook invite and spread through word of mouth.

“If youve been to a Floatopia then ‘ya know what its all about,” read the invite. “Bring your own beverage in a cup/coozie/cooler, and of course-FLOATS!!!!”

CNN has reached out to one of the event organizers but has not yet received a response.

“Most of us have never heard of it,” Lankford said.

Now, they have.

“We’re happy to have people come down there and enjoy the beach and have a good time,” Lankford says.

He even says had he known about it he’d have probably gone out there to partake. But it’s a public beach and they should have cleaned up after themselves.

“It’s not fair, particularly to the people that live right there,” he says.

Since then the trash has been removed. The city said they take great pride in keeping their local beaches clean and thanked their Beach Operations crew for working swiftly to make sure the beach was once again clean.

They also thanked citizens who helped pitch in to clean up as well.

CNN Wire contributed to this report.