The Extreme Volleyball Tour and the Greater Savannah Sports Council have partnered to host the EVP Savannah Open. The parade will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 21. Volleyball will be on South Beach on Saturday, May 22, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. It is free to the public. The EVP Savannah Open will be featured on the Beach Sports Network in a 30-minute show highlighting the competition and location. The show will air throughout the summer on regional sports networks across the country. For more information visit www.EVPTour.com or www.TybeeVisit.com.
About the Beach Bum Parade:
What is the Beach Bum Parade? It is a water fight parade each year on Tybee that celebrates the beginning of the tourist season. The parade includes up to one hundred entries and their "water warriors" vs. the hundreds of locals and visitors lined up along Butler Avenue. The parade attracts beach bums of all ages!
When will this year's parade take place? Friday May 21st at 6:30 p.m.
How did the Beach Bum Parade begin? It all started approximately 23 years ago when a softball team called the "Beach Bums" was challenged to a game by "Pier 1", another Tybee team. It was the North End playing the South End. Lo and behold, it was the first game the Bums ever won (and it wasn't even a league game). After the game, the Bums and Pier 1 drove up and down Butler Avenue with police escorts as the teams bombed each other with water balloons. Before they knew it there was a mini water fight.
Who are the Beach Bums? Because softball was taken so seriously back then, the Beach Bums team was created to lighten things up. You had to be at least 40 and have a good sense of humor to be a Bum. At the games they would sometimes dress up as women, wear funny costumes, throw stink bombs on the field, and were known for indulging and playing at the same time.
Who's on the 2010 Beach Bum Court? The 2010 grand marshall is state Rep. Burke Day. The 2010 queen is Tybee resident Pam Smith and the 2010 big kahuna Tommy Solomon's family has deep roots on Tybee.
Advice for attendees: If you don't enjoy getting wet, it is a good idea to stay away from the parade. You might even want to stay in for a little bit longer than that, because after the parade ends the water fight continues for some time. Do not drive around Tybee that day with your windows rolled down or without locking your car doors. Also make sure to head out to the island early as parking is limited on the island. Buddy up to someone with a water hose along the parade route that way you will not run out of ammo. Wrap anything you do not want to get wet in a plastic bag.
The Rules: Water balloons, buckets and pressure washers are not to be used and are considered dangerous. No ice water. Restrict your targets to parade participants and on-lookers. Do not attempt to aim your hose or water gun at a police officer, unless you want to be heavily fined or possibly go to jail. Residents and visitors are asked to use common sense in choosing and soaking your targets. It is illegal to open car doors or homes to spray inside. Open windows may be fair game, but people close up for a reason.