Today is the first day of the Orange Crush Festival. The festival is expected to draw 20,000 people with party events around Jacksonville and its beaches.
The majority of local businesses and citizens see this as a welcome economical boost to Jacksonville and the Beaches. Then there are those who only see color, as the event is a majority Black crowd.
Yes, it is 2021 but there are still folks who think this is the Jim Crow South. One such group has a Facebook page called Visit Heckscher.
In an apparent attempt to keep “outsiders”…cue racist dog whistle, away from “their beach” they made the false claim that Heckscher Drive would be closed for repaving on Sunday and that it would only be open to locals. The group also said that checkpoints for locals would be installed and that the ferry would be closed.
This is the same day the Huguenot Beach party is scheduled during the Orange Crush Festival.
‘Community Alert – Road repaving project to take place on Sunday, June 20th from Blount Island Enterance (sic) to Huguenot Memorial Park. Only local traffic will be allowed on Heckscher drive from 5 a.m. – 8 p.m.. You must present your 32226 ID or utility bill at the checkpoint. The ferry will be closed all day.”
FDOT has confirmed that they have no such plans. JTA likewise stated that the Ferry will be open and will run as normally scheduled.
Visit Heckscher has since deleted their post.
Visit Heckscher may wish to remember that Huguenot Memorial Park is a public park and is open to all.