Rehoboth's Fourth on the fifth
The fifth of July may not have been the true Independence Day for America, but that didn’t stop residents and visitors of Rehoboth Beach from celebrating. Starting early in the day, families staked their claims on the beach and later crowded the Bandstand where The Funsters provided entertainment.
A color-filled fireworks display went off right on schedule as skies darkened. With bursts of color and thunderclaps that could be heard throughout the city, fireworks filled the night sky as Rehoboth honored of America's independence, drawing compliments from many visitors who enjoyed the show.
Some got a little more fireworks than they expected. ”The fireworks did rain down on us, so we saw a good amount of debris, but I think the Boardwalk got the most of it," said Chris Darr, personnel manager of Funland.
While Funland reported a good night, with a big influx of guests after the fireworks show, Darr said some other local businesses, including restaurants, said delaying the fireworks until July 5 may have resulted in fewer customers.
"We had lots of people asking us on Saturday when the fireworks were going to go off and were heading down to the beach with their beach chairs. After they found out the fireworks weren't happening that night they just left," he said.
Rob Mellon, manager of Obie's by the Sea, said, “In general everything was quiet. It was eerie, even in Dewey.”
Mellon said, “It was slower than last year. Sunday and Saturday were almost identical [for business], and Friday the best of the weekend. But it was definitely slower than last year.”
Joe Zuber, owner of Dos Locos, reported a similar experience. “There weren’t as many people this year. Usually on a Saturday night we have about a 45-minute wait; this Saturday I had a 5-minute wait,” said Zuber. “[Sunday] the big saving for us was the Women's World Cup.”
At Gus and Gus, on the Boardwalk, a small change was noticed, but nothing drastic. “I think we were busier during the day Saturday than Sunday,” said co-owner Bill Svolis. “It seemed like maybe Sunday before the fireworks it was slower than usual until about an hour-and-a-half before.”
Rehoboth Police Chief Keith Banks said weekend was a relatively uneventful. “There were just some minor parking complaints and things like that,” said Banks. Banks also stated that without the help of many local municipalities, DelDOT, K-9 units, public safety officials and the Delaware State Police the July 5 fireworks event wouldn’t have been possible.
“We’d like to thank [them] for helping us on the night of our celebration and had everything back to normal by midnight. We were pleased, but it didn’t seem like the crowds were here. The beach wasn’t as packed as we have seen in the past.”
Rehoboth Beach Patrol Capt. Kent Buckson's report was similar. “We had a couple lost children, and some cuts and scrapes, but no major medical issues,” he said. With 20 guards stationed along the beach, the Rehoboth Beach Patrol was keeping beach patrons safe during the fireworks display.
“I think something was a little off tonight. I’m not sure if it was because it was a Sunday or not though,” Buckson said, noting that the crowd was smaller than previous years. “But, sometimes less is more.”
