REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — Chairs lining the sidewalks, families feeding farm animals, vendors selling fall treats and decorations — and plenty of confusion over parking rules.
Those are some of the familiar sights as the annual Sea Witch Festival kicks off this weekend in Rehoboth Beach, drawing thousands of visitors to the resort town for one of its biggest events of the year.
Farm animals at Sea Witch.
At the heart of the festivities is the Sea Witch Parade, which attracts huge crowds — and fierce competition for parking spots along Rehoboth Avenue. The parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Police opened gates at 6 a.m. Friday to allow cars to begin parking on the avenue. Chris Beagle, who arrived in line at 5 a.m., said the scene was busy but orderly.
“There were people everywhere trying to come up with the most creative way of getting onto the street,” Beagle said. “Overall it was a lot more civil than I expected, and it was over in five minutes.”
But not everyone is a fan of the current setup. Business owner Jeff Housman said he believes the parade would be more enjoyable if parking were prohibited on the avenue altogether.
“They should just close it for cars, make room for people so everyone can see the parade better,” Housman said. “It’s really for the kids.”
Festivalgoer Dolores Woolworth said she understands the city’s efforts to manage the crowd, though she admits the parking rules can be confusing.
“I think the way they’re doing it is probably fair,” Woolworth said.
City officials reminded visitors that parking in the median is prohibited starting at 1 a.m. Saturday. Vehicles left there after that time are subject to towing.
Attendees can also take the DART bus, which offers an all-day pass for $4, or simply walk to the parade route.
For the Kelley family, who travel to Rehoboth each year for the festival, the event is a Halloween tradition.
family visiting for Sea Witch Festival.
“We love the parade, the arcades, the trick-or-treating and the dog parade,” family members said. “It’s fun to get a little extra trick-or-treating.”