Overview
- Organizers of the weekly "Happy Beach Dancing" agreed to cut event lighting after a town-led meeting with the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, FWC and county agencies on Wednesday.
- Organizers said they will continue holding gatherings at Beach Access 55 with reduced illumination and encouraged attendees to stay in designated areas.
- The Loggerhead Marinelife Center told officials that the local stretch contains about 150 loggerhead nests and that bright lights and large crowds can deter females from nesting.
- One local report said the group plans to reduce lighting by roughly 70 percent, and stakeholders agreed to monitor the events to see if further measures are needed.
- Residents say they do not generally seek a ban but want events moved during peak nesting; the town will keep facilitating talks and assess impacts through the rest of the season.