It’s the last weekend in August at the Delaware beaches.
Despite the official last day of summer being Sept. 23, for most people, everything that makes summer summer ends on Labor Day. That won’t stop people from coming to the beaches, though, as the ever-extending “shoulder season” begins.
But there are still two glorious weekends of “summer” left, and plenty of time to experience everything the Delaware beaches have to offer once more.
Delaware Online/The News Journal has provided this weekend guide to the Delaware beaches all summer long. For the second-to-last time, read on to find out all you need to know if you’ll be in Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany or Fenwick this weekend.
Weather and traffic
This weekend is predicted to be cooler than previous weekends, especially Sunday. The National Weather Service predicts Saturday temperatures to be in the lower 80s with a 30% chance of showers. Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny in the upper 70s.
A 30% chance of showers should by no means ruin your beach day. Precipitation will likely come and go.
No Biden traffic this weekend; according to the White House’s “Week Ahead Guidance,” the president has no plans to visit his Rehoboth Beach home.
More:How to vacation like a president at the Delaware beaches. Here’s what the Bidens did
What to do
On Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Bargains on the Broadkill event will offer over 35 vendors at Milton Memorial Park. There will also be food, music, the Broadkill River Canoe and Kayak Race and the Great (Rubber) Duck Race.
Also on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Delaware Seashore State Park will host Paddlefest 2023. Be prepared to get muddy while kayaking the four-mile course through the marsh.
Most of the beach towns offer free live entertainment on the weekends. Check your town’s website for details.
On top of that, The Freeman Arts Pavilion in Selbyville has Lady A and Train this weekend. Both shows are sold out, but there will probably be a few people trying to sell their tickets at the last minute on Facebook.Paradise Grill in Long Neck will feature some popular bands this weekend, too. The Amish Outlaws will play Friday at 7:30 p.m., The Way Outs Saturday at 7 p.m. and The Funsters Sunday at 2 p.m.
Southern Delaware also has a handful of theatres with a variety of entertainment offerings every weekend. Check out Clear Space Theatre in Rehoboth Beach, Dickens Parlor Theatre in Ocean View and The Milton Theatre.
If wildlife and nature are more your thing, check out Cape Water Tours, Goat Joy, or Barn Hill Preserve (not to mention all the amazing state parks). Water parks and sports? There’s Jungle Jim’s, White Water Mountain, Shark’s Cove Water Sports, Sea Rocket Water Adventures and Dewey Beach Water Sports.
More:‘Long Island Medium’ Theresa Caputo films at Rehoboth Beach restaurant
What to know
Loitering and teen issues: Parents, know what your teens are doing at night at the Delaware beaches.
Large, nighttime teen gatherings have long been an issue for Dewey Beach police, and especially so this year around the Fourth of July. Earlier this month, first-year Dewey Beach Police Chief Constance Speake announced new efforts to curb loitering in the parking lot of the business plaza on the northeast corner of Coastal Highway and Dagsworthy Street, where Wings To Go is.
“This lot often times is used for large groups to gather. These gatherings block passage in and out of the businesses,” Speake said in a Dewey Beach Police Department Facebook post.
Because the lot is private property, police previously had a limited ability to clear it, the post said. However, recently, the department entered into an agreement that gives officers authority to “give warnings to persons that have no legitimate business on the property to vacate the premise or face arrest for trespassing.”
Both Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach are enforcing curfews. In Bethany Beach, the curfew is 11 p.m. for anyone under the age of 18. It’s the same in Dewey, except on Fridays and Saturdays, when the curfew begins at midnight.
Beach closures: There are currently no beach closures in Sussex County, however, water quality advisories are most frequently issued in August.
Advisories are issued when the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control finds elevated levels of Enterococci bacteria in the water at a guarded beach (among others). It indicates fecal matter in the water and the potential for disease.
More:It’s jellyfish season at the Delaware beaches. Types you’ll see and what to do if stung
Above-standard Enterococci levels are usually caused by “wildlife sources and increased rainfall, waves or wildlife feeding near the surf (shorebirds, marine mammals or other warm-blooded animals),” according to the department.
It’s a good idea to check back frequently. Swimming is not recommended when a water quality advisory is active.
Surf-fishing: The new surf-fishing reservation system has been in operation since May, but if it’s your first time back at the Delaware beaches since last year, you may yet be unaware.
You still need a permit to surf-fish on drive-on beaches, available at most state park offices, but now, if you want to drive on the beaches on a weekend or holiday, you also need a reservation.
Reservations are $4 per vehicle, per day and can be made at www.destateparks.com/SurfTagSales. The online system opens at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays for Saturday reservations and 11 a.m. on Wednesdays for Sunday reservations. Make them as soon as possible. The most popular drive-on beaches will likely sell out.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught
