bethany beach events 2026

With summer just around the corner, we are looking forward to the many events that take place in Bethany Beach starting in May!  Warmer Spring weather encourages visitors and locals to explore local shops and businesses, while community programs and outdoor events began to pick up as the temperatures increase.  As summer arrives, the town’s iconic bandstand hosts regular live music performances, drawing crowds to the boardwalk for evening entertainment by the ocean. Family-friendly events, beach activities, and weekly traditions create a vibrant atmosphere, while local markets and art-focused gatherings highlight the creativity of the area. Together, these spring and summer events showcase Bethany Beach as the lively yet quaint seaside destination…

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Credit to: Coastal Point

The Carl M. Freeman Foundation has awarded a $20,000 donation to the Food Bank of Delaware to support its food distribution efforts in Sussex County, in an effort to help ensure local families have access to nutritious food during a time of growing need.

“On behalf of the Food Bank of Delaware, thank you to the Carl M. Freeman Foundation for their generous $20,000 investment in our food distribution efforts,” said Cathy Kanefsky, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Delaware. “This support helps ensure families across Delaware have reliable access to nutritious food when they need it most, and it strengthens our ability to respond to the rising need with dignity and care. We are deeply grateful for the foundation’s…

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Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora


Delaware.gov

The Ocean View Police Department is participating in Delaware’s Blue Envelope Program, designed to share critical information with officers who stop vehicles with disabled drivers or passengers.

“The day we got the envelopes here at the police station, we had people coming up to the counter and asking for them, which I think is pretty cool. It’s another tool we can use to help determine how police react,” Police Chief Kenneth McLaughlin said, adding that the light blue envelopes are available there, as well as at Delaware State Police barracks and other participating agencies. The DSP and Delaware Health & Social Services are also publicizing the program on their websites.

“The first lady…

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Credit to: Delaware Today, Shannon Marvel McNaught

Fall is for the dogs at the Delaware beaches.

The rules relax come September, allowing man's best friend to accompany their owners on the sand and in the surf once again.

Here's what to know about dogs in each Delaware beach town, but keep in mind: There is a statewide law requiring dogs be leashed at all times, except on their owner's property or on private property with permission. Otherwise, service (not emotional support) dogs are generally exempt from these rules.

Bethany Beach

In Bethany Beach, dogs are prohibited on the beach and boardwalk from May 15 to Sept. 30. They're permitted all day in the off-season from October 1st through May 14th.

Delaware State Parks

Whether…

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Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Tents and other shelters on the beach in South Bethany won’t be regulated by a town ordinance, but beachgoers will be asked to practice etiquette, and to not block others’ views of the ocean or present safety hazards.

The South Bethany Town Council made that decision at their Friday, Aug. 8, meeting, with Mayor Edie Dondero saying polite practices will be encouraged in postings on bulletin boards and in e-mails while the town manager and staff “continue to monitor the situation.”

At the council’s July meeting, Councilman Bob Shields had started the discussion, but he was out of the country and not able to attend last week’s meeting. Dondero said town officials have received considerable feedback about…

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Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Members of the Small Restaurant Regulatory Reform Task Force will begin meeting this week to work on ways to make it easier for small businesses to open without being faced with the same requirements imposed on those operating large establishments.

State Sens. Gerald Hocker and Russell Huxtable are among the 15 members of the task force, said state Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, a Realtor, who initiated it. Representing Townsend, Smyrna and Clayton, he said he has heard complaints from clients at his family’s real estate agency, The Moving Experience, but the concerns aren’t limited to northern Delaware.

“The problem is all throughout Delaware,” he said. “I’ve had clients in Sussex County. We are dealing with codes…

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Credit to: Coastal Point, Susan Canfora

Despite objections from Mayor Edie Dondero, the South Bethany Town Council will ask the Town’s Charter & Code Committee to review what size cabanas, or tents, should be allowed on the beach.

Tents — discussed during the Friday, July 11, council meeting — were situated on the beach during the Fourth of July weekend, when the beach is particularly crowded, Councilman Bob Shields said, adding that they “occupy a lot of space on the beach and often don’t have anybody sitting under them.”

He suggested not allowing large tents that have anchoring mechanisms that stretch out on the sides and only permitting small tents.

He said the Town of Bethany Beach doesn’t allow structures except umbrellas (it also…

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By unanimous vote, the South Bethany Town Council this week approved on second reading an ordinance to allow food trucks on Town property.

Councilwoman Chris Keefe, at the Friday, June 27, council meeting, said the trucks will be allowed at Town-sponsored events only.

“We’ve had to adjust the ordinance to allow that. The ordinance changes the definition of a food truck — a large vehicle or trailer licensed and equipped to cook, prepare and sell food. We added a sentence to this ordinance saying licensed trucks that have received prior authorization from the Town to participate in special events sponsored by the Town and held on town property. Before, they we were not allowed at all, but that doesn’t prevent having food delivered to homes,” she…

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We’re proud to share with you that The Leslie Kopp Group will continue as the Presenting Sponsor of the 33rd Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour! Once again, ticket purchasers can experience the tour in person or explore the beautiful homes virtually at their convenience.

Sneak Peek courtesy of Beach & Bay Cottage Tour

For $50, the Combo Ticket gives you the chance to visit 6 specially selected homes in person, plus virtual access to all 10 homes on the tour.  In-person tours will take place on Wednesday, July 23 and Thursday, July 24.  If you’d rather explore from home, the $35 Virtual Only ticket lets you view all 10 homes online. Virtual tours will be available from Sunday, July 13 through Sunday, August 3. 

In-person and virtual tickets are on…

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Credit to: Coastal Point, Kerin Magill

A committee advocating for Fenwick Island business owners will ask the Fenwick Island Town Council later this month to offer parking passes to businesses at a reduced rate, as one way to help alleviate employee parking issues in the town.

Fenwick Island’s Business Concerns Committee discussed the move at its Tuesday, May 6, meeting.

The group, chaired by Council Member Kurt Zanelotti and comprising current and former business owners and residents, will ask the council at its May 23 meeting to consider offering parking passes to businesses in town at a reduced rate of $450 — a 10 percent reduction from the standard $500 rate for seasonal parking passes that are available to residents.

At the April town…

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