Sea Witch Festival puts imagination on display
Rehoboth’s Sea Witch festival is an event like no other, and this year’s sunny skies welcomed record crowds. It all started with the parade; in anticipation, by early Saturday morning, every parking space on Rehoboth Avenue was filled and spectators were setting up beach chairs along the parade route, longer than ever this year to give more room for the crowds and participants.
What makes the parade special are the scores of families and friends dressed in costumes that delight spectators with their ingenuity and creativity. From local high school bands and Cruella de Vil leading a pack of dalmatians to zombie-inspired monsters, Franken Berry cereal, accompanied by Boo Berry and Count Chocula, and even the pope, the parade offers an annual overview of pop culture, past and present, with a hilarious and distinctive down-home flair.
The parade was not yet over when the fiddlers’ festival began, featuring not only adult talent but also showcasing young people on fiddles, banjos and mandolins. It’s great entertainment and a terrific stage for young performers who brought poise, humor and great music to downtown Rehoboth.
If the ocean and Boardwalk were not entertaining enough, games on the beach and dozens of vendors and activities gave children and families plenty to do all day long – and all this was only Saturday.
On Sunday, the Sea Witch 5K drew record participation, with many of the 500 runners and families racing down city streets in costume. Next, the Boardwalk went to the dogs, as hundreds of canines and their owners brought a new round of creativity to the costumed extravaganza.
Produced by the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Sea Witch brought thousands of people to the region and entertained nearly everyone in fine fashion while boosting business in Rehoboth and many points north and south.
Congratulations to organizers of the many events and to the imagination and creativity of participants that made this year’s festival one of the best ever.
