DEWEY BEACH, Del. - As schools let out and summer approaches, coastal communities like Dewey Beach are preparing for an increase in teen visitors during the upcoming summer season.
Bill Zolper, the town manager of Dewey Beach, said many graduating seniors head to the beach town during the first weeks of June.
“Every year in the first week or two of June, we have a lot of seniors come down. We call them Junebugs,” Zolper said.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, town officials are reminding visitors that a curfew remains in effect for anyone 17 and younger from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. During those hours, unaccompanied minors are not allowed on the beach or in public spaces.
“If they’re coming or going from work, if they’re running an errand for a parent, if they’re doing something legitimate that’s not just hanging out in the town of Dewey Beach, there’s no issues,” Zolper said.
Zolper said large groups of teens gathering in parking lots can sometimes lead to problems.
“The problem is we get 200 or 300 kids in some of these parking lots with nothing to do, and then trouble ends up breaking out,” he said.
Town officials said the focus is on education first and enforcement second, while encouraging visitors to make safe and responsible choices during the Memorial Day weekend.
