Folly Beach says good-bye to 2024 with a few “flops” … and not just flip-flops
by Jenny Peterson | Current Staff Writer
It’s been a tough month for Folly Beach, and not just because January stretched out into five calendar weeks this year
A much-hyped but ultimately failed New Year’s Eve drone show in lieu of traditional explosives went out with a fizzle as drones inexplicably began falling from the sky. Then, a local pizzeria’s annual Meatball Drop, a quirky but beloved tradition on Folly, was halted by Folly Beach Public Safety for impeding on the public right-of-way. Of course, there was the island’s annual Flip-flop Drop, too, which actually went off without a hitch but, in a way, served as a symbol for an evening full of flops.
Then 2025 arrived and things started looking up until a rare snowstorm postponed the island’s signature January street event, Taste of Folly. It was moved twice due to weather—first rain, then snow and ice. But Taste of Folly was rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1 (after press time), so maybe the black cloud is finally passing over our little island. But let’s look back at what went wrong on a New Year’s Eve on Folly that was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
On Dec. 31, 2024, thousands of people gathered along and around Center Street to witness what was going to be the area’s first drone show, a new technological concept to replace traditional explosive pyrotechnics that are quieter, more environmentally-friendly and customized, with unique designs transforming in mid-air.
The Folly Association of Business (FAB) spent considerably more money to hire Lightyear Drones to produce the drone show than it would a typical fireworks company. Those who were lucky enough to be outside on Dec. 30 were able to witness the rehearsal test launch show that included several nods to Folly Beach with beachy scenes and animals.
On New Year’s Eve, everyone waited with bated breath as the drones were launched at 7 p.m. over the Folly River. The first drones whizzed into the sky, illuminating a Morris Island lighthouse, and then the design transformed into a dolphin.
And then, the sky went dark.
Puzzled revelers were left scratching their heads over if the show would return to the skies. When the show didn’t return after around ten minutes, word got out that there was a problem and the show would not go on.
Onlookers missed out on one of the more traditional celebrations for the new year. A few personal, rogue fireworks were launched a few minutes later over the Folly River, which turned out to be an unwitting consolation prize.
The evening news soon reported on a most unfortunate event: a person was struck by a falling drone, sustaining minor injuries.
Kelly Travers, the FAB Event Coordinator, said that “upper-level windshear” on New Year’s Eve led to the failure of the show, forcing the “ultimate decision to ground the display.”
“The formal investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is ongoing. This display was fully insured, and we do sincerely regret the minor injury that was treated and released onsite,” Travers said. “All large displays do come with risk and we will be carefully considering how we move forward with future displays.”
She added that the organization interviewed several companies before deciding on Lightyear Drones, working closely with the company on the location, requirements, permits, security, and insurance.
While the lack of a proper light show was disappointing, revelers made the most of the evening, popping into Center Street bars and restaurants to await other Folly-specific New Year’s Eve traditions: The Flip-Flop Drop, where a lighted flip flop descends from a fire truck outside the Tides Hotel when the clock strikes midnight, and the rag-tag Meatball Drop, held outside Woody’s Pizza on Center Street. (editorial note: Since New Year’s Eve, Woody’s has sold and is under new ownership).
That’s when another kerfuffle occurred—namely, Public Safety’s involvement in stopping the Meatball Drop from being held outside the restaurant, where it has taken place for the last 20 years. Folly Beach Public Safety has deemed the location over the Center Street sidewalk to be unsafe and declared the Meatball Drop an unpermitted special event that negatively impacted the public right-of-way.
“I, along with three of the previous community coordinators, were merely attempting to get (the former owners) to comply with the City of Folly Beach special event ordinance (needed for anything that) impacts public resources or are on public property, such as the right of way, sidewalk, or spilling out into the street as the event had done,” stated chief Andrew Gilreath, director of Public Safety, adding that there have been issues, concerns, and conversations about the popularity of the event since the year 2018.
“One of my staff went to the restaurant well in advance to let them know the event was non-compliant, and they chose to try and have it anyway,” Chief Gilreath stated. “Quite honestly, the least of (the former owner’s) worries was us not allowing him to continue. He could have faced thousands of dollars in fines over the years in addition to this year. (Officers) instead allowed (the owner) a way to host the event in a different manner that was a less egregious violation of the ordinance.”
The public safety involvement in the “Meatball Drop” did not result in any official police reports or arrests, but did not escape criticism on social media.
Finally, just over two weeks later, the scheduled Taste of Folly, also organized and executed by FAB, encountered a very rainy day forecasted for Saturday, Jan. 18’s Salty Saturday, so FAB postponed the street event to the following Saturday, the original rain date pre-approved by City Council. Then, less than a week later, Folly Beach, like the rest of the Southeast, was blanketed in snow from the streets to the shore in what meteorologists called the rarest of winter storms. Snow stayed on the roads and beach for nearly a week, closing Charleston-area bridges, roads and businesses.
While the snow was a marvelous and rare photo opportunity, it forced another postponement of one of the season’s largest street events, another blow to the FAB event organizers.
Thankfully, the pivot was quick and FAB rescheduled their “Savory Saturday” event for the following Saturday, Feb. 1 (after press time), to celebrate the delicious food and cocktails offered by local bars and restaurants, but it was not without its challenges. Travers had to scramble to procure vendors, volunteers, bands, barricades, and all the other things that was originally reserved for two weeks prior. It was welcome news for many local businesses that lost money from having to close due to the storm.
While there’s never a dull day on Folly Beach, here’s hoping that 2025 brings more tops than flops.
