The Sea Witch Parade is a popular event held annually in the city of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It is a celebration of all things related to the sea and its mythical creatures, particularly the sea witch. The parade takes place during the month of October and attracts thousands of visitors from all over. Participants in the parade come dressed in elaborate costumes and makeup, transforming into sea witches, mermaids, pirates, and other fantastical characters. The Sea Witch Parade features a variety of floats, marching bands, and walking groups. The floats are decorated with vibrant colors and imagery related to the sea, showcasing the creativity of the participants.
2015 Rehoboth Sea Witch Festival…Don’t Be a Scaredy Cat!
The Sea Witch is primed and ready to ride once again this weekend, as the 2015 Rehoboth Sea Witch Festival hits Southern Delaware for its 26th year! As we noted earlier in the fall season, the annual Sea Witch Festival is one of our favorite fall events. The weekend is jam-packed with activities, including parades, children’s activities, vendors, costumes, and a fiddlers convention. We often say there is ‘fun for all ages’ but there truly is an abundance of fun for all ages with this popular Southern Delaware event. Food, shopping, Halloween festivities, games, and live entertainment will dominate Rehoboth Beach for the three-day event, turning one of our favorite coastal Delaware towns into Halloween headquarters. We couldn’t get enough of last year’s event, so it stands to reason that we are pretty pumped for the 2015 edition…
Time & Date
October 23, 24 & 25 with various times for each activity to be found here.
Things to Know
Weather: For information on weather related updates, your best bet is to call the Chamber at 302-227-2233 ext. 12 OR visit their site. Fortunately, as of now, the weather is looking clear and beautiful for the weekend!
Stay Connected: The Rehoboth-Dewey Chamber of Commerce offers a FREE mobile app for the event that can be downloaded through the App store or Google Play.
Restrooms: Public restrooms are located at the Bandstand & Rehoboth Avenue, the Boardwalk & Baltimore Avenue, the Boardwalk & Delaware Avenue, Grove Park, and the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.
Parking: FREE satellite parking and FREE shuttle service is available with five satellite parking locations and 14 shuttles. Satellite parking locations can be found at the Rehoboth Little League lots, the DART Park and Ride, Epworth United Methodist Church, DE Seashore State Park (Tower Ocean Road), and the South Inlet Day Area of the State Park.
ShoreBread Favorites
Costumed Dog Parade: Sunday, 3pm (registration at 2pm). The parade begins at the North end of the Boardwalk near the Henlopen Hotel with winners announced at the Bandstand at 4:30pm.
Costumed Parade: Saturday at 11am. It is recommended that you arrive early! Or watch the parade live on WRDE NBC Coast TV.
Old Fashioned Kids Beach Games: Saturday at 2pm, with games including slippery swords, pumpkin dash, peanut on the nose race, and hula twist off.
Monster Art in Grove Park: Saturday and Sunday, 12-5pm. Kids will create art that will be sent to U.S. Troops overseas via Operation Gratitude. This is a FREE event.
Downtown Rehoboth Beach Trick or Treat: Saturday, 6:30-7:30pm. Trick or Treat opportunities with local downtown merchants.
Pony Rides on the Beach: Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm. Pony rides are available on the beach at Wilmington Avenue for $5.
Downtown Rehoboth Hayrides: Saturday and Sunday, 12-5pm. Enjoy a fall hayride around Rehoboth! Tickets are $2 for children under 12, $5 for adults and can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce.
Create!: Kids and family fall games, crafts and fun at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center; ongoing from 10am until 4pm on Sunday. Includes Halloween activities, family pumpkin decorating contests, a Halloween dance party, zombie self portraits, and pumpkin olympics. Tickets are $5 for children and includes admission and participation in all activities.
Parade Route: Up and down Rehoboth Avenue! Nab a spot anywhere along the strip and enjoy the show.
Festival Viddles: Official Sea Witch viddles include The Cultured Pearl (Sea Witch sushi), Dolle’s Candyland (Sea Witch caramel popcorn), The Fracture Prune (Sea Witch donut), Grotto Pizza (Sea Witch pizza), The Ice Cream Store (Sea Witch ice cream), and Woody’s Dewey Beach (Sea Witch Crab Cake).
Fiddlin’ Fun: Delaware State’s Official Fiddlers’ Festival; Saturday starting at 1pm at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Enjoy adult and children’s competitions for best fiddle, mandolin, blue grass and banjo playing.
Sandy the Sea Witch Children’s Book: Written by 11-year-old Kaitlyn Rowe and illustrated by local artist Kacie Yakimowicz. Books can be purchased for $5 at the Information Table by the Bandstand.
Take a peak at a few of our photos from last year’s event:
News Release
The floats are decorated with vibrant colors and imagery related to the sea, showcasing the creativity of the participants. The marching bands add a lively and energetic element to the parade, playing catchy tunes that get the crowd moving. One of the highlights of the Sea Witch Parade is the costume contest.
Wilmington University Wins Decorating Contest at Annual Sea Witch Festival
This year, Wilmington University's Rehoboth Beach site was one of the highlights of the town at the 21st annual Sea Witch Halloween and Fiddler's Festival, held October 29 through the 30th. The site participated in the festival's Local Business Decorating Contest, turning the building at 41 Rehoboth Avenue into a haunted dwelling packed with bats, mummies, ghouls, and other creepy concoctions. For their efforts, Wilmington University at Rehoboth Beach placed first in the decorating contest, this is their fourth consecutive year to win!
The staff at Wilmington University's Rehoboth Beach site put a lot of thought and effort into decorating the building, dressing up as scary creatures, and handing out goodies to passersby. "Sea Witch was a great success and it seems as though the community really enjoys our efforts," said Diana Hiott, assistant site manager at the Rehoboth site. "Every year, we come up with new ideas for dedocrating. It's a lot of fun." See more photos of Sea Witch.
Thousands of festival-goers flocked to Rehoboth Avenue and the Boardwalk this past weekend to watch the costume parade, participate in beach games, watch a movie in the park, go trick or treating or go on a horse drawn hayride. Wilmington University Wildcat cheerleaders and the institution's mascot, Wiley D. were part of the costume parade, wowing the crowd with their high flying stunts.
On Sunday, Wilmington University faculty and staff dressed up their pups as "class clowns" in the annual Sea Witch pet parade. "The pets were a huge hit," commented Hiott.
The staff at Wilmington University's Rehoboth site are already coming up with spooky ideas for next year's Sea Witch Festival. "This year we added some new items like Count Dracula rising from his coffin, and a scary clown that removes his face," Said Hiott. "We dressed up in costumes and enjoyed scaring the trick-or-treaters. We can't wait for next year!"
Sea Witch Halloween Festival in Rehoboth Beach
The annual Sea Witch Halloween Festival — held every October in Rehoboth Beach — has delighted Halloween fans for more than 25 years. The family-friendly event offers a festive good time and plenty of good-natured spooks for all ages. With events running from early morning to midnight, the festival features three full days of entertainment, food and trick-or-treating. Don’t miss the chance to participate.
Participants compete in different categories, such as best sea witch, best mermaid, and best pirate. The costumes are judged based on creativity, craftsmanship, and adherence to the sea theme. In addition to the parade itself, there are various other activities and events that take place throughout the weekend. These include live music performances, arts and crafts booths, and fireworks displays. Food vendors offer a variety of delicious treats, ranging from seafood specialties to carnival favorites. The Sea Witch Parade is a family-friendly event that appeals to people of all ages. Children are especially fond of the colorful costumes and the opportunity to collect candy that is thrown from the floats. The parade is a chance for the community to come together and celebrate the coastal culture that is so integral to the identity of Rehoboth Beach. Overall, the Sea Witch Parade is a fun and festive event that showcases the creativity and imagination of its participants. It brings a touch of magic and excitement to Rehoboth Beach, allowing attendees to indulge in their love for the sea and its enchanting creatures..
Reviews for "From Childhood Fascination to Adult Delight: The Ageless Appeal of Sea Witch Parades"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really excited to attend the Sea Witch Parade after hearing so much about it, but I left feeling disappointed. The parade itself was quite underwhelming with only a few floats and performers. The costumes lacked creativity and were repetitive. The overall atmosphere felt dull and uninspiring. I expected a grand spectacle, but instead, it felt like a small neighborhood event. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a vibrant and memorable parade experience.
2. John - 2 stars - I was expecting a unique and exciting parade when I decided to attend the Sea Witch Parade. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The floats were poorly constructed, and the participants seemed unenthusiastic. The route was also too short, and it felt like it ended abruptly. Additionally, the timing of the event was poorly organized, with long gaps between floats. Overall, I found it to be a lackluster parade that didn't live up to its hype.
3. Sarah - 1 star - The Sea Witch Parade was a major letdown for me. The organization was chaotic, and the event felt disorganized. It was challenging to find a good viewing spot, and once I finally secured one, the floats passed by too quickly. The costumes and decorations were unimaginative and lacked creativity. I was hoping for a memorable experience, but instead, I was left feeling bored and unimpressed. I won't be attending this parade again in the future.