With an unfavorable schedule for the tides, the annual Palm Tree Island Memorial Day party won’t be held this year, organizers announced on a social media post. However, police said that there would still be rigorous enforcement of alcohol laws on the island after last year’s July 4th activities there generated complaints from residents of Channel Walk and other nearby neighborhoods about the rowdy party atmosphere.
Wrightsville Beach officials said that they would add extra patrols of the neighborhoods near Palm Tree Island to prevent people from using the area to get to and from the island. And New Hanover County Sheriff’s Officials said that there would be boat patrols of the island to enforce drinking laws. Sheriff’s officials said that the boat patrols would occur every day throughout the summer, not just for memorial day weekend.
In what would have been the 19th year of the party, a low tide of 7:20 p.m. made set-up and tear-down difficult for the island that’s also called “The Diminishing Republic,” organizers said.
“That’s not an easy call to make as weeks have gone into the thought process with which way to proceed. Our steel drum band cannot perform under these conditions, the ice cream boat isn’t available, the boat transportation from Summer Rest is canceled indefinitely due to parking,” the post said.
In the post, organizers said they would plan to put on the party in 2020, which would be the party’s 20th year.
