Flyers Promoting Pop-Up Party Under Investigation In Point Pleasant Beach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Point Pleasant Beach police are investigating who is behind a flyer promoting a pop-up party in the borough on May 30.

The flyer, circulating on Instagram, is telling people to bring their own food and bottles to the beach for the event, sponsored by a group called "Funcnation."

"The Police Department is aware of the social media post that is promoting a potential Pop-Up Event on 5/30/26," Point Pleasant Beach police said in a Facebook post.

The department was investigating the origins of the post and the party promoters to put a stop to the event, police said.

In past years that has come in the form of a court injunction threatening the promoters of pop-up parties with arrests and heavy fines if they don't cancel the event and tell people to stay away.

Point Pleasant Beach has been faced with the threat of pop-up parties regularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, when social media-fueled events on the beaches and at vacation rental properties created chaos that taxed police departments all over the state. The events led to changes in short-term rental ordinances and prompted vacation rental companies like AirBnb to change their policies.

A large pop-up party in June 2020 left trash all over the beach in Point Pleasant Beach and prompted dozens of residents' complaints when more than 1,000 people showed up. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Mayor: 'Town Treated Like Toilet' (UPDATE)

After similar issues from a pop-up party in Long Branch that brought more than 5,000 teens and young adults to the city, Point Pleasant Beach officials took a more aggressive stance, actively monitoring social media and then taking organizers to court to stop the parties.

The threat of prosecution seemed to be enough to halt an event in 2023, as flyers disappeared before the borough obtained an injunction.

This year, towns have a new state law on their side as they try to combat the parties. The law signed last summer by Gov. Phil Murphy makes it a crime to incite a public brawl and authorities believe it will help because it can be used to punish those using social media to create the pop-up parties. Fights have been common occurrences at the parties, where underage drinking has been part of the issue. The law includes fines of $1,000 to $10,000 and sentences of up to 18 months in prison.

Point Pleasant Beach police said they would release more information as the investigation continues.

"Rest assured we will continue to monitor and thwart any and all potential pop-up events," police said.