Many people may think that Spring Break is an insignificant occurrence, just one more big party and a reason to get smashed. One way of letting their hair down and an escape from the pressures of studying, writing research papers, mid-finals and finals. While this may be one side of the coin, the other side is that Spring Break is an established cultural tradition among college students, an annual event with its own sets of rituals. It is a piece of 20th century America.
Most people trace the roots of modern-day Spring Break back to the ancient rituals of the Greeks and Romans preceding the birth of Christ. During that time, men and women, specifically those who were of “mate-able” age, welcomed the return of spring., the season of fertility, in rituals celebrating Dionysus (Greek)/Bacchus (Roman), the god of wine. Such rituals featured drinking and dancing, until those who participated were unconscious, doing irrational things of this god of earthly pleasures. The advent of Christianity put a stop to such pageant rituals, since the new, singular God was seen as an advocate of spiritual rather than worldly discoveries. Anyway, many believe that the essence of Dionysus/Bacchus still lies and that Spring Break is one of the current incarnations of that drive in human beings. (www.springbreak.com/history.htm, 1998)
In the 1970s, Spring Break took on a face lift. It got started with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and it underwent substantial changes in the turbulent times of the late ‘60’s and the ‘70s. Alcohol and other intoxicants played a big part in the festivities, fraternization between the sexes took on some new dimensions in the period of “free love,” and the partying became raucous enough to trash some businesses and to reduce the appeal of attracting college students to some beach communities. During this time, Ft. Lauderdale was replaced by Daytona Beach as the beach to party on. It had cheaper rates, closer proximity to colder East Coast climates, and more loose rules and regulations. Ft. Lauderdale became the chief Mecca for Spring Break party animals.
During 1980, Spring Break developed new characteristics as Generation X began to add its touch to the tradition. Spring Break began to take on some added sophistication, as the prospect of staying drunk for an entire week was less enticing for some of this generation. The teenagers and college students of this generation started to be a little more sophisticated about their activities at the beach. Alcohol still played a part in the activities, but planned activities included more sports, trips to theme parks and other tourist spots, snorkeling and scuba diving, even a job fair. Businesses started taking advantage of Spring Break by pushing beer, cigarettes and advertising computer-related items, video games, cars, movies and television shows, and other youth-oriented consumer products. (www.springbreak.com/history.htm, 1998).
Spring Break in Daytona Beach is traditional for most college and university students. Parents of these students more than likely know about Spring Break in Daytona Beach, Florida. Some parents of these students probably met in Daytona Beach, during Spring Break.
Daytona Beach has at least 23 miles of sandy beaches, filled with Spring Break activity, pool deck parties and lots of hot Daytona Beach Clubs. Spring Break in Daytona Beach is the superb choice of beach vacation spots. Daytona Beach is easy on the budget. (www.daytonabreak.com, 2007).
Daytona Beach is on the central East cost and enjoys spring like temperatures—both air and water range from 75-80 degrees. The weather is perfect for what is called “boogie boarding” or lying on the beach.
Beach driving is allowed during daylight hours from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset, with the exception of turtle nesting season, which runs from May 1, through October 31, which means that the driving hours change to 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Sometimes the driving conditions are poor during high tides and the beach may be closed to vehicles, but, it is always accessible to pedestrians. Warning! Follow the signs that clearly mark the traffic lane. The speed limit on the beach is ten miles an hour.
In the year 2002, Spring Break in Daytona Beach Florida was the 16th Annual Spring Break and it was held the same weekend of the Tuner Bash, which provided spring breakers with an automotive conglomeration of style, music, and audio competitions.
Super Street teamed up with The Plaza Resort and Spa, which is the home to the hottest club in Daytona Beach, 600 NORTH, bringing the car audio and compact performance worlds together. With 100,000 college students “Spring Break Tuner Bash” had the right ingredients for fun. Wayne Harris’s db Drags, the Dyno Challenge sponsored by Castrol Oil, the Nitrous Express bikini contest, and the original of all originals Ken Miyoshi’s “Showoff” car show with the best looking rides of spring break made this a party you do not want to miss next year, (2008) if you’ve missed out before. (www.caraudiomag.com/specialfeatures/0208cae_springbreak_dathtona/index.html, 2002).
There was a lot of activity a buzz with both events at the same time. XM Satellite Radio presented a concert for about 5000 Saturday night on the main pool deck of The Plaza Resort looking over the Atlantic Ocean.
Not only is Daytona Beach the hot spot for beach vacation. The Florida Keys, Panama City and Miami and South Beach join them, as college and university students crowd the beaches with their array of colorful beach wear and gleeful spirits. Students come together from different walks of life, different schools, different personalities and different attitudes.
On the beaches, you see different water sports, such as water skiing, boating and surfing. On the white pearly sands, a team of volleyball players are in position playing volleyball or dodge ball. Some students are even partaking in Bunji Jumping. Children are in their protective gear out in the water to protect them from drowning, as parents look on supervising.
The Florida Keys and Key West are also choice selections for Spring Break. The Florida Keys offer water temperatures around 80, and visitors want to hurry and get outside and stay. Some want to frequent restaurants and eat “She-crab soup). Evenings are cool and island breezes keep the Keys comfortable for 24 hours a day. It is a snorkel’s’ paradise.
Whether you are in Daytona Beach, the Florida Keys, or Miami, Spring Break weekend is a festive occasion for those who take full advantage of it, as long as it is done in a constructive, not destructive manner. Businesses have suffered and the beaches have suffered, because there are times when the partying gets a bit out of hand, and the local police department has to be called upon. (http://studenttravel.about.com/od/springbreak/a/floridabreak.htm).
