Rehoboth Beach · History and events
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: history and events
History, lore, events and occasions in Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, Delaware: 13 questions answered from official and primary sources.
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Questions about history and events in Rehoboth Beach
History and lore
When was Rehoboth Beach founded?
In 1873 Rev. Robert W. Todd of Wilmington and a group of Methodists formed the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association, buying about 414 acres for a seaside camp meeting ground. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov, archives.delaware.gov.
How did Rehoboth Beach get its name?
The camp meeting association's charter was revoked in 1891 and the land became Cape Henlopen City. It was renamed Rehoboth in 1893, from a Hebrew word meaning roughly "broad spaces." Source: archives.delaware.gov, rehobothbeachde.gov.
Why is Rehoboth Beach called the Nation's Summer Capital?
A paved highway from Georgetown linked Rehoboth Beach to Washington, D.C. in 1925, and legislators, diplomats and government workers began vacationing there. That earned it the nickname Nation's Summer Capital. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov.
How did the railroad help Rehoboth Beach?
The Junction and Breakwater Railroad connected Lewes and Rehoboth Beach in 1878, and passenger service ended in 1928. A paved highway from Georgetown followed in 1925. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov.
What was Rehoboth Beach's role in World War II?
Civil Air Patrol Coastal Patrol Base Two operated at Rehoboth Beach during World War II, on a small unpaved airfield on Airport Road. Volunteers flew private light aircraft over Atlantic waters looking for German submarines, and flew many missions in 1942 and 1943. It was the second of 21 East Coast submarine-detection bases. Source: archives.delaware.gov.
What historic sites are in Rehoboth Beach?
National Register of Historic Places listings in Rehoboth Beach include All Saints' Episcopal Church (1991), the Dodd Homestead (1982) and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union Fountain, built in 1929 on the Boardwalk at the foot of Rehoboth Avenue and listed in 2009. Source: nps.gov, history.delaware.gov.
What cultural landmarks define Rehoboth Beach's history?
The city's history page says the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand was conceived in 1963 and that the original was replaced in 2004-2005. It says Funland opened in 1939 as the Rehoboth Beach Sports Center, and that CAMP Rehoboth was founded in 1991. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov.
Events, holidays and occasions
When is the Sea Witch Festival in Rehoboth Beach?
The Sea Witch Halloween and Fiddlers Festival is held in late October and is hosted by the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. The 2026 edition is listed for October 23 to 25, with a parade on Rehoboth Avenue on Saturday at 11 a.m. and a 5K on Sunday. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov.
Does Rehoboth Beach hold a Fourth of July fireworks show?
Yes. The city lists the Independence Day fireworks over the beach and Boardwalk at about 9:30 p.m., after a bandstand concert at 8 p.m. In 2026 the city listed the show for Sunday, July 5, not July 4, so check the city calendar each year. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov.
Is there a farmers market in Rehoboth Beach?
The Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market meets Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in 2026, running May 5 to October 27, according to the Delaware Department of Agriculture list. Source: agriculture.delaware.gov.
When is the Rehoboth Beach holiday tree lighting?
The city holds a bandstand sing-along and tree lighting in late November, around Thanksgiving weekend. Its 2026 calendar entry shows Friday evening at 6:30 p.m., though the page has conflicting year labels, so confirm with the city. Source: rehobothbeachde.gov.
What other annual events happen in Rehoboth Beach?
Southern Delaware Tourism lists the Chocolate Festival (spring), Beach Goes Blue and Restaurant Week (June), the Garlic Festival (September), the Jazz Festival (October), and the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival (November). Source: visitsoutherndelaware.com, visitsoutherndelaware.com.
Is Return Day a holiday in Rehoboth Beach?
Return Day is a Sussex County legal holiday under Delaware Code Title 1, Section 501: the second day after the General Election, after 12:00 noon. It falls on the Thursday after Election Day in even-numbered years, and in 2026 that is November 5. The main celebration is held in Georgetown. Source: delcode.delaware.gov, visitsoutherndelaware.com, dagsboro.delaware.gov.
How these answers are sourced
Every answer on this page cites an official or primary source, such as the town, a state agency, NOAA or the institution itself. Answers SussexCounty.ai could not confirm from a primary source are left out until they can be.