Barricades on Rehoboth Ave. On the left are Rehoboth Beach police officers and vehicles.

Barricades on Rehoboth Ave on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. They were removed at 6:00 a.m.

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — The annual Sea Witch parade brings tens of thousands of spectators to Rehoboth Beach, but for some, the excitement begins long before the parade gets underway.

Tailgating along Rehoboth Avenue has become a favorite tradition for paradegoers, with drivers arriving before sunrise on Friday, Oct. 23  to secure prime viewing spots alon g the parade route.

At exactly 6 a.m., the barricades were removed, sending a steady stream of drivers onto the avenue as they rushed to claim their preferred locations.

What followed was about 10 minutes of controlled chaos as drivers maneuvered their trucks and cars into position, staking out spots for Saturday's Sea Witch parade.

Vehicles in Rehoboth Beach seeking a parking spot to tailgate for Saturday's Sea Witch Parade

Rehoboth Beach local Joe Gentile was among those who arrived at 6 a.m. to secure a tailgating location. "t's my first time of trying to park a car, what an experience," Gentile said. "People are jockeying around, looking for spots, and I was able to get the spot."

The city will close Rehoboth Avenue. to traffic at 2 a.m. on Saturday. The parade is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

Morning Broadcast Journalist

Matt co-anchors CoastTV News Today Monday through Friday from 5-7 a.m. and occasionally produces and anchors CoastTV News Midday at 11 a.m. He was previously the sports director at WBOC from 2015-2019.

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