Rehoboth businesses suggest modifying Bandstand concerts

Moving the Saturday show to midweek, being more selective about what events shut down the Bandstand and city staff removing no-parking signs faster after events are over were a few of the ideas Rehoboth Beach business owners offered city officials during a Nov. 24 meeting of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce’s downtown task force.

The chamber was asked to convene the meeting by the city in response to concerns raised by businesses owners regarding closures of the Bandstand area.

Regular use of the Bandstand and the surrounding area isn’t new, but crowds have grown and are now taking up much of any available space in the area, including the street and sidewalk during the summer concert series. In response, under an emergency power given to the chief of police, the city began to shut down the Bandstand on concert nights and limit parking after 6 p.m.

During an end-of-the-season review in October, city officials recommended the closures become permanent so staff can change signage and meters around the Bandstand. The city was expected to vote Nov. 21 on an ordinance codifying the permanent closures, but the vote was delayed until after the chamber task force meeting.

Andrea Senturk, T-Shirt World owner, said she enjoys the concerts, but changes are needed when something isn’t working. It’s getting out of control, she said during the chamber meeting.

There are 39 performances over the course of three months, said Corey Groll, Rehoboth Beach Bandstand director. There’s enough bench seating for 400 people, but on a good night, there can be 1,500 attendees, he said.

Groll said the number of concerts at the Bandstand actually decreased from four nights a week to three over a decade ago. He said the Bandstand was purpose-built, and relocating the concerts to somewhere else in the city wouldn’t be feasible for a few reasons. Parking is one reason, but also dressing rooms are under the Bandstand, and having concerts elsewhere would require portable speakers and a stage.

A decision needs to be made soon on how the summer concert series can proceed in 2026. Bookings have begun and Saturdays get filled up first, said Groll. 

One of the concerns brought up multiple times was the ability for any group, no matter the size, to be able to use the Bandstand, which requires the area to be shut down for safety concerns.

The Ice Cream Store owner Chip Hearn said there are probably ways for businesses to take advantage of 1,500 people. The problem is when the whole area is closed down from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. for 38 people, he said.

Alison Blyth, owner of Go Fish!, has been one of the most vocal critics of the Bandstand closures. On a concert night, the restaurant is empty unless someone wants to use the toilet, she said.

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t detrimental to my business,” said Blyth.

Additional suggestions included pushing the concerts back an hour to give businesses an extra hour at dinner, requiring people to stay off the sidewalk, turning the concerts around to face the beach, the creation of a special license allowing businesses to sell things among the crowd, and a coupon voucher for Bandstand businesses that needs to be used the night of the concert.

A majority of city commissioners were present at the meeting, but no one spoke because the meeting wasn’t noticed as a quorum.

As of press deadline Dec. 4, the topic is on the agenda for the commissioner workshop at 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 8.