The annual Jeep Weekend is set to arrive back on Galveston Island this weekend. For years, it has brought "Jeep enthusiasts" from all over the country to sit and party on a beach for three days. Over the years, it has turned from a small crowd to large, uncontrollable masses that end with assaults and multiple arrests. It has also ended in vandalism to property, among other heathen-like activities.
Once again in 2024, the event comes to Crystal Beach with an expected 100,000 attendees to descend on Galveston Island as a whole. Normally, this would be a positive thing for the local economy, and businesses would want to stay open. But this time, many businesses on the island are simply shutting down, and getting out of dodge before the reckless vandals come into town.
They do not want them there, and neither does the county, according to Galveston County Judge Mark Henry.
"We do not want them coming...but this is not an organized event. There is no organizer I can ask to plan another location...we cannot deny them access to a public beach," he says. "But we are right there with the businesses...we feel their pain."
But as an entity, you would figure the county would have the authority to remove them, or at the very least, the City of Galveston. But wrong you would be.
"Only in incorporated cities can they restrict certain activities...they can't restrict access to a public beach, but they can take other measures...we just do not have that ordinance power," he says.
They derive their ordinance power form the state, which does not give counties the authority to restrict access.
Of course, this does not go down on Galveston Island. It happens in the sleepy town of Crystal Beach. Henry says that is by design because they are unincorporated.
"That is why they choose to go there...they know we cannot do much about it...except respond with law enforcement, charges, and handcuffs," he says.
Last year alone, over 233 arrests were made at Jeep Weekend, with over 200 charges resulting from those arrests. Which we have established is basically the only course of action they can take.
But Henry says they have bigger plans this year.
"We have somewhere between 60 and 80 DPS troopers assisting...lots of Galveston County Sheriff's there on overtime...they will be looking for any sign of breaking any law...then they will be placed in cuffs and put in our county jail," he says.
Last year, there was even a kidnapping incident, where a girl was taken by three males, and driven into town before being sexually assaulted. All in all, it has just turned into a party mostly for the irresponsible and negligent.
Their inability to behave like adults too stretches county resources even thinner.
"It will be hundreds of thousands of dollars...we have extra EMA on as well...District Attorneys ready to file charges...it is a dramatic cost...and we collect nothing from this," says Henry.
He adds that many residents want to leave for the weekend as well, but fear damage to their property being done by the Jeep riding cavalcades.
Photo: E+