Deltopia, originally known as Floatopia, is a social event started in 2004 which takes place annually in Isla Vista, California. Deltopia was originated by University of California, Santa Barbara students and occurs at the start of UCSB's spring quarter around Del Playa Drive. Participants consist primarily of college students. In early years, attendance was estimated at a few hundred participants with later years seeing 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 didn't 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.
History
Early years of Floatopia
Rumored to have begun in the early 1980s, Floatopia was started in 2004 by UC Santa Barbara students in Isla Vista. The event was originally titled "Floatopia", a portmanteau which referenced the flotation devices used by the attendees in the Pacific Ocean and the definition of "utopia". In addition to these floating parties, attendees also congregated at the beaches nearest Del Playa Drive.
In early years, Floatopia was patronized largely by local students from Santa Barbara City College and UC Santa Barbara and attracted hundreds of attendees. As word spread, attendance of Floatopia increased greatly, from an estimated 300 attendees in 2007 to an estimated 4,000 attendees in 2008.
Floatopia 2009
Floatopia 2009, coinciding with the rise in usage of social media and social networking, had an event created and shared on Facebook to promote the event. As a result, an estimated crowd of 12,000 attendees descended to the Isla Vista beaches. The attendance caught local authorities off guard and outnumbered, resulting in chaos. A number of medical emergencies, citations, and arrests followed. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office recognized the utilization of social networking and described the event as "... a public safety emergency and an environmental crisis ..." in their 2009 annual report.
Floatopia 2009's popularity resulted in plans for a "Floatopia 2" to occur in May 2009. Authorities, as well as some local students and residents, voiced their opinion against the sequel. The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors drafted emergency ordinances aimed at preventing Floatopia 2, resulting in a temporary 6 month alcohol ban at Isla Vista beaches. The restrictions, in addition to other factors such as the Jesusita Fire and environmental impact, resulted in Floatopia 2's failure to materialize.
Evolution into Deltopia and continued growth
With the success of the restrictions put in place to prevent 2009's Floatopia 2, government officials made the temporary beach alcohol ban permanent in November 2009. Officials also contemplated restricting beach access, an idea later made official, to retard the growth of an impending Floatopia 2010. In response to the changes, attendees took to Del Playa Drive in block party fashion and renamed the event "Deltopia" after the street's name. The event drew a smaller crowd in 2010, estimated at 8,000 attendees. As officials placed restrictions on the event, attendees changed their plans and continued to grow the event with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 attendees in 2012 and 15,000 to 18,000 in 2013.
Floatopia/Deltopia 2014
Authorities arrested about 100 attendees of Deltopia 2014. According to police, the party turned violent after some of the approximately 15,000 attendees objected to the arrest of a partygoer by the University of California Santa Barbara Police.