Rehoboth Beach Local News

Traffic Alerts and Info: Memorial Day through Labor Day avoid travel on mid mornings or early afternoons on Saturdays as this is "Moving In Day" for weekly renters, and traffic is usually very heavy.  If you must travel on Saturday, be in the downtown parking areas by 9:00am.  Avoid leaving Rehoboth Beach late Sunday afternoons, as well as early Monday mornings.  On rainy days, Route 1 is very congested due to outlet shoppers.  Be sure to exercise caution and patience during your travels on Route 1 as there are many last minute lane changes and turns made. For a live traffic update:  Listen to 1380AM on your radio or go to http://www.deldot.gov/Traffic/travel_advisory/#advisories . Live beach traffic cameras:

click here.

It's a Law!!! No texting or talking on cell phone unless a Blue-tooth device is used. Must have "hands free".C

Lewes Light Making Spirits Bright!
What is Lewes Lights?
In an effort to close out a year of darkness with bright light and holiday joy, "Lewes Lights" is a fun & free community activity for all to enjoy. Lewes, Delaware homeowners are invited to decorate their home exteriors for the holiday season. On December 1st, a driving tour map of decorated homes within the City of Lewes will be provided to the public for all to enjoy throughout December. People's choice awards will be awarded based on public vote.

Check out this site for voting and more information:  https://www.leweslights.org/home

*Benefitted Walk to End Alzheimer's*
Jazz Legend, Lillette Jenkins-Wisner, dubbed Queen of the Keys by Duke Ellington, was honored on Sunday, September 20, 2020 with a concert hosted by her family and friends and held at the Fairfield Inn in Rehoboth Beach. Her granddaughter, Tanya “Toni” Stargell, created a CD with three songs to commemorate her grandmother and benefit the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The CD includes the last recording they made together three and a half years ago of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. It also includes two songs from one of Jenkins-Wisner’s previous albums: Flight of the Bumblebee and My Prayer, which was written and arranged by Jenkins-Wisner. CD’s are still for sale for $10 with $5 of every sale befitting the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to purchase a CD.

Museum Offers Recorded Programs for Public Viewing
Rehoboth Beach, DE - Members and friends of the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society have been treated to a fun and informative series of video programs over the past four months on topics ranging from the history of Funland to the passage of the 19th Amendment. Titled “Conversations on History,” these programs, hosted by Program Manager Marge LaFond, have been posted on the museum’s YouTube channel. The recorded videos can now also be accessed on the Society’s web page at rehobothbeachmuseum.org. under the “Video/Audio” tab at the top of the home page. Other topics include Religious Congregations of Rehoboth, Rehoboth Beach during the Railroad era, Ferries, Trains and Automobiles: Getting to Rehoboth Beach before the Bay Bridge, and 30 Years of CAMP Rehoboth: A Photographic Retrospective. Each program lasts about 50 minutes and can be watched at any time of any day. While there is no charge to view the programs the Society appreciates donations, which help us continue these programs.
Donations can be made and memberships purchased on the website as well. This, and other programs, are made possible by a grant from the Delaware Humanities Forum and the National Endowment for the Arts. Members of the public may call (302) 227-7310 with questions about programs or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Rehoboth Beach – Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce announces Sea Witch® Memorabilia packages are now available.
While the plan was to wait until 2021 to disassemble the original Sea Witch® parade balloon, with the uncertainty that the original balloon will stay airborne, the Chamber decided to spread a bit of Sea Witch® cheer this year! Ken Moody, the artist and creator of the original 25+ year old Sea Witch® balloon, will be designing and producing an exact replica of the iconic Sea Witch® to be flown in the 2021 parade. Fans of the festival will be able to watch the new Sea Witch® balloon creation process online during the month of October. The original parade balloon will now be disassembled in November 2020 after the completion of the brand-new Sea Witch® balloon. Authenticated numbered pieces of the original balloon will be sold in 3 inch by 3 inch squares as part of the new Sea Witch® Memorabilia packages.

Preordered and prepaid Sea Witch® Memorabilia packages are available online through the Chamber’s website and at the Chamber’s Admin office, 306 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach. Packages will include a numbered and authenticated piece of the original Sea Witch® balloon, a limited-edition Sea Witch® cloth face mask, a youth or adult sized 2021 Lobster Monster festival shirt, and a 20/21 festival pin. Packages retail for $150 and include all shipping and handling costs. Packages will be shipped in early December 2020 – just in time for the holidays! Individual festival shirts, pins and masks can also be purchased online.  https://www.beach-fun.com/souvenir-shop.html

We get it. Virtual learning days can be challenging for parents who work (at home or at a physical location). We're here to help...with our new virtual learning support programs on-site at The Great STEMporium this fall.

Like you, we're still waiting to hear what our local school systems will roll out, and more importantly, how it will impact each individual family. As a small, woman-owned business, we are nimble and are ready to adapt as soon as we know more.

The Great STEMporium is expanding their services to include SAT and ACT Test Preparation classes for high school students!

NOW ACCEPTING WAITING LIST SIGN-UPS

Delaware's State Museums Reopening With Self-Guided Tours
“We are very excited and proud to welcome the public back to Delaware’s historical sites in a safe and deliberate manner,” said Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs Director Tim Slavin. “Our team has worked hard to design an experience for visitors that connects them to the people, places and artifacts of our shared past, while respecting the demands of the present.”

Delaware’s state museums include the John Dickinson Plantation, the Old State House and the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, and the New Castle Court House Museum.

Tours will take place at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Sundays (except for the Johnson Victrola Museum.) To make a tour reservation, patrons must call the museum they wish to visit. Contact information is available here.

Self-guided tours will be 30 minutes in length and will include reference materials that can be accessed via smartphone or in single-use printed form. Due to space constraints, some museum areas will remain closed for the time being. Tour groups will be limited to four or six visitors, depending on the museum, and cloth face coverings must be worn at all times by staff, volunteers and patrons. All public museum areas will be cleaned between tour groups according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://history.delaware.gov/museums/

DART Resumes Full Bus Service Levels, Front Door Boardings and Fare Collection on Monday, June 1

DART will resume full-service levels starting Monday, June 1, with the exception of the seasonal Beach Bus services in the resort areas. Front door boardings and fare collection will also be reinstated. https://www.dartfirststate.com/

Streaming Films
Rehoboth Beach Film Society is inviting moviegoers to enjoy its Cinema Art Theater from the comfort of their own homes with its Virtual Theatre. Available at www.rehobothfilm.com,  users may choose from a variety of features to screen on their devices while sheltering in place. Cost is $8 to $12.

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society receives a portion of each registration

April 9th, 2020

The City of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, was named a 2019 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

The community also received a Tree City USA Growth Award for demonstrating environmental improvement and a higher level of tree care.

Rehoboth Beach achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

“Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest firsthand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Rehoboth Beach are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Communities worldwide are facing issues with air quality, water resources, personal health and well-being, energy use, and protection from extreme heat and flooding. The Arbor Day Foundation recently launched the Time for Trees initiative to address these issues, with unprecedented goals of planting 100 million trees in forests and communities and inspiring 5 million tree planters by 2022. With Tree City USA recognition, the City has demonstrated a commitment to effective urban forest management and doing its part to help address these challenges for City residents now and in the future.

More information on the program is available at www.arborday.org/TreeCityUSA. 

The 25 coolest towns in America: 2019   Our own Rehoboth Beach made the list.
Each of these 25 towns, all with populations under 100,000, offers something special and has come into its own as a destination of late. Whether you’re looking for untamed wilderness or sandy beaches, deep history or provocative art, craft cocktails or cheap beer, these are the 25 coolest small towns in the US to visit next year. Read about it here:

https://matadornetwork.com/read/25-coolest-towns-america-2019/?fbclid=IwAR05Kf2lKZXObOZuZVbsngwWr9hWfkmXkcafRzZjpTQSNJ2zFoC7FmJev1k

Kids Catch-all Fishing Tournament has been recognized as one of the best kids fishing tournaments in the United States
FishingBooker, the US’s largest platform for booking fishing trips, has made a list of the best kids fishing tournaments in the entire country. Kids Catch-all Fishing Tournament has been recognized as one of the best ones!

Nothing is as rewarding as seeing your kid pull up their first fish. The joy you share at that moment, the pride you and your kid both feel, is what often sparks a lifelong love of angling. Still, your youngster can only learn so much from you (no matter how good of an angler you are). This is where the kids' fishing tournaments come in. These events are an ideal opportunity for your children to have fun and develop their skills, as well as make new friends. https://fishingbooker.com/blog/kids-fishing-tournaments-in-the-us/

Good news! Two DART Beach Bus Routes - Routes 201 and 204 - now run year-round. They will operate every 30 minutes, Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Route 201 provides service from the Lewes Park & Ride lot, along DE Route 1 corridor to Tanger Outlets, Rehoboth Park & Ride and Rehoboth Boardwalk. Route 204 operates between the Lewes Park & Ride and Downtown Lewes, including the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal. Free parking will now be offered at both the Lewes and Rehoboth Park & Rides. In addition, the following Sussex County services (Routes 206, 212 and 215) provide Saturday service year round.

Read more here for information about fares and how to connect with the services:  https://www.dartfirststate.com/dtc.ejs?command=PublicDTCPressReleaseDisplay&id=7309

Rehoboth Beach Museum's Call for Volunteers
Members of the public who are looking for volunteer opportunities are encouraged to contact the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society. Volunteer opportunities include greeting visitors, working with the archives, and completing research on objects in the permanent collection. The museum offers a relaxed working atmosphere and is handicap accessible. Volunteers can work for a few hours a month or a regular weekly schedule. Those interested are encouraged to call (302) 227-7310 and ask for the museum director, Nancy Alexander.

WE’RE WINNERS AGAIN!
 The City of Rehoboth Beach has received two new awards and recognitions – “Top 10 Family Beaches” from Family Vacation Critic and  “11 Mid-Atlantic Small Towns that Will Charm Your Socks Off” from www.WhereTraveler.com.

U.S. Lighthouse Society's Passport Stamps for Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse and the Lewes Life-Saving Station are Available at The Lewes Historical Society
The Lewes Historical Society is excited to now offer passports and stamps for the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s Passport Program.  Lighthouse Passports are available at The Lewes Historical Society’s Zwaanendael Club Museum Store for $15.00.  The Lewes Historical Society stamp locations for Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse and the Lewes Life-Saving Station include the Cannonball House Maritime Museum at 118 Front Street, Ryves Holt House at 218 Second Street, and the Zwannendael Club Museum Store at 302 Savannah Road, all located in Lewes, Delaware. For more information about the U.S. Lighthouse Society, visit www.uslhs.org.  To learn more about The Lewes Historical Society, visit www.HistoricLewes.org.

Rehoboth Beach Ranked #2 in "Happiest Seaside Towns in America"
Coastal Living magazine ranks Rehoboth Beach second in it's contest. Many who live, work and visit here agree! By the way, #1 was Stuart, Florida.

Lewes Historical Society Joins Delaware Library Catalog, Receives Grant to Update Website
The Lewes Historical Society is adding its library collections to the Delaware Library Catalog thanks to the efforts of Society collections volunteer Barbara Nonnemaker who is entering close to 4,000 records from the Society's in-house database.  The Society expects to add select records from its archives to the Delaware Heritage Collection as well. The Lewes Historical Society's library and archives are available to use free of charge and by appointment.  Access to parts of the collection are available at www.historiclewes.org.  The Delaware Library Catalog is searchable at lib.de.us  to explore our library collection as well as libraries across Delaware. If you are interested in donating historical materials to the collection or scheduling a research visit, please contact the Society at 302-645-7670 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Additionally, the Society has recently been awarded a grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund of Jacksonille, Florida to improve access to all its collections via its own website.

The City of Rehoboth Beach smoking ban is in effect.
The smoking ban includes the beach (except for up to 20 areas on the beach designated as smoking permitted areas which will be clearly marked), the Boardwalk, the Bandstand Plaza, City parks, and the street ends adjoining the Boardwalk. Signage is in place to delineate the designated smoking areas. The approved ordinance can be read by clicking here.

Rehoboth Beach beach video
To see what you are missing, click here.