Your guide to Fourth of July fireworks, activities at the Delaware beaches

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3 days ago

The Fourth of July is the height of summer at the Delaware beaches, with people packing the beach towns night and day for celebrations.
There are fireworks galore, all of which you can watch from your beach blanket. There are parades, live music, games and more leading up to the show. Traffic will be heavy, so arrive early and stay late, or better yet, take the DART bus.
Here's what to know about what's happening in each town.
There's a full day of free Fourth of July activities in The First Town in the First State.
It starts at 9 a.m. with old-fashioned kids' games on Second Street, with sack races, egg tosses and more for both children and adults.
Trinity Faith Christian Center, at 15516 New Rd., will host the 28th Annual July 4th Celebration and Car Show from noon to 3 p.m. The event features free food, games, a bounce house, a DJ, hayrides and more. Visit the Trinity Faith Facebook page for more information.
A boat parade begins around 1:30 p.m., with participants starting at Roosevelt Inlet and heading down the canal to the Savannah Road bridge. Winners are announced at the Lightship Overfalls at 3:30 p.m.
The Doo-Dah Parade, a longtime Lewes tradition, starts around 5 p.m. at Manila Avenue and heads down Kings Highway toward Savannah Road. It's unofficial, un-serious and a lot of fun.
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Fireworks will launch at dusk on the bay off Lewes beaches. Go Fourth Lewes organizers recommend the following:
Arrive early, stay late. Vehicle traffic is held during the display and for 30 minutes after, and it takes about 90 minutes for traffic to clear.
Walk or bike to the beach or view the fireworks from areas in town or other higher elevations.
Drink plenty of water.
Leaving your dog at home is strongly recommended.
More information about the fireworks is available at gofourthlewes.org.
Rehoboth Beach's fireworks will launch around 9:30 p.m. July 5, in the Atlantic Ocean off the roughly mile-long beach and boardwalk.
Local favorites The Funsters will play at the bandstand starting at 8 p.m., and pick up their instruments again after the fireworks.
These are the road closures to expect:
The bandstand area will be closed to vehicular traffic from 6 p.m. to midnight.
​Beginning at 7 p.m., only bus traffic and residents will be permitted on Henlopen and Surf avenues.
Residents on Henlopen Avenue and in Henlopen Acres and North Shores must access their residences via 2nd Street beginning at 7 p.m.
Vehicles will not be able to cross Rehoboth Avenue at the circle beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Rehoboth Avenue eastbound and Church Street from State Route 1 will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 8 p.m. At that point, all vehicles entering Rehoboth Beach will have to do so via State Road to Bayard Avenue.
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To exit Rehoboth after the fireworks, vehicles north of Rehoboth Avenue will be directed to Rehoboth and Columbia avenues. Vehicles on the south side of Rehoboth Avenue will use Bayard Avenue to Coastal Highway southbound or Hickman or Munson streets to State Road to Coastal Highway north- and southbound.
On July 5, no parking will be allowed in the following places:
Surf Avenue,
the Convention Center parking lot,
around the bandstand,
Grenoble and Surfside places and
marked spots in part of the ocean block of Laurel Street.
You can avoid much of the hassle by taking the DART bus. Park at the Park & Ride lots at 20055 Shuttle Road in Rehoboth or at 17616 Coastal Hwy. in Lewes.
Fireworks take place over Rehoboth Bay in Dewey Beach, off McKinley Street, around 9:30 p.m. July 4. The show is visible throughout town.
July 4 celebrations begin with a parade at noon in Bethany Beach, circling Pennsylvania and Atlantic avenues between Ocean View Parkway and Cedarwood Lane.
There's live music at the bandstand at 7:30 p.m., followed by fireworks off the beach at dusk.
So Long Neck is technically part of the Millsboro zip code, but it's on the Indian River Bay and just a quick hop, jump and boat ride to the beaches.
Paradise Grill, a sprawling tropical-themed bar, restaurant and music venue in Pot-Nets Bayside, will host fireworks at 9 p.m. July 3. Kristen and the Noise will take the stage at 7 p.m.
Parking will likely fill up and overflow lots will likely be used, which will require shuttling to Paradise, so make sure to arrive with plenty of time to spare. More info at paradisegrillde.com.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at [e-mail] or on Facebook.
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What to know about Fourth of July celebrations at the Delaware beaches