DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Black College Reunion was once one of the biggest annual events in Daytona Beach. In years past, partiers crowded the streets and filled hotels. But Friday, WFTV went to Daytona Beach on the first day of BCR and found, this year, the event is empty.
The streets of Daytona Beach bare little resemblance to the party place of the past. It's hard to tell it's spring break, much less the once famous Black College Reunion.
Scenes from just a few years ago bring back memories of massive parties and crowd control nightmares.
Residents like Steve McClendon say it's not just the BCR crowd that's disappearing; the city seems to be downplaying all spring party events.
"They come down and mess up the place, you know. It's them and the other crowds," McClendon said.
Black College Reunion dates back to the ‘70s and helped set the example of what spring breaking was all about. But Friday, WFTV had a very tough time even finding visitors who came for the annual event.
"What did you come here hoping to find?" WFTV reporter Steve Barrett asked Mississippi resident Alfonzo Harris.
"Hoping to find, just havin' fun, came to see the Black College party," he said.
Street vendors still hope for the best, too.
"We're just hoping that they'll come out knowing that it's BCR, you know, come out hang out. It's spring break, have some fun and, hopefully, buy some food," vendor Alexia James said.
Past BCR parties have drawn more than 100,000 people, but have also been marred by violence and confrontations with police. It appears that problem has now passed Daytona Beach by.
WFTV
