Each year, festivals, races, walks, parades, and other special events are hosted within the Rehoboth Beach city limits. If you’re interested in hosting a special event on a public space in Rehoboth Beach – that is, on the beach, boardwalk, bandstand, roadways, or parks – you must obtain a permit from the city. This does not guarantee approval of the event, and staff may make amendments to the proposed plan. Organizers are advised not to start promoting their events until they are approved by the City.
The City of Rehoboth Beach will do its best to assist community organizations in bringing their events to town by reviewing and approving a permit, providing extra duty police officers when requested; however:
- the City is not organizing the event and, city staff, aside from paid extra duty police officers, will not be onsite to help run the event.
- if the proposed event creates an inconvenience, traffic problems, or extra work, the City has the right not to approve it.
- if the proposed event would be held at a busy time, i.e., the summer months, or a weekend/stretch with multiple events, the City has the right not to approve it.
- if the event has less than 500 expected attendees and is requesting use of the Bandstand, the City will not approve the event to be held there.
- if the City feels that any roads need to be shut down for safety purposes to accommodate an event, payment by the event organizers for extra duty police officers will be required, no matter what group is organizing the event.
We are no longer accepting Special Event permits for the remainder of 2026. If you are interested in hosting an event, please reach out to Brooke Thaler (bthaler@rehobothbeachde.gov) with your requested date, location and event details.
If you’re interested in renting the Convention Center and hosting an event there, please visit this section of our website.
Special events at Grove Park require that organizers also complete a park pavilion rental application. Please refer to our calendar on the web site to see if your requested date and time are available.
If you would like to hold an expressive activity in Rehoboth Beach, please email bthaler@rehobothbeachde.gov to obtain an application.
Obtaining A Special Event Permit
Familiarize yourself with the city’s special event guidelines
Terms and conditions for hosting a special event are provided in our Special Events Guidelines.
Complete the Special Event Permit Application
We are no longer accepting applications for 2026 events.
Provide routes and event layout details after submitting your application
Use these maps and facility layouts to aid you in providing route and event layout information.
Extra-duty police officers may be required
Due to an event’s size or nature, extra-duty police officers may be required. The pay rate for each
extra-duty officer is $105/hour with a minimum of three hours/officer. If extra-duty officers are
needed, you will be required to complete the Extra-Duty Police Employer Agreement and submit it via email.
Application review by the city
Applications may take up to 30 days to review. City staff will contact you with any questions or concerns and/or with an approved permit.
After receiving your approved permit
The city must be in receipt of your application fee and a certificate of insurance naming the City of Rehoboth Beach as an additional insured before your event takes place. Organizers must inform the City of Rehoboth Beach of any event changes.
Then, have a great event!
Following your event
Clean Up!
Applicants shall be responsible for removal immediately following the event’s conclusion of all equipment and materials as well as debris and litter generated or caused by a special event. This includes when attendees leave the area for a walk, parade, etc., the facility in use must be cleaned up first. If the applicant fails to do so, the city shall have authority to remove equipment and/or trash at the applicant’s expense.
Each group is responsible for removing their own trash and any leftover materials. The City does not provide a cleanup crew following their use of the space, as this is not a rental. Therefore, in order to use the facility, they must ensure it is left clean and in proper condition after their event. All rental equipment must be broken down and prepared for pick-up by the group. Breaking the event down is not the responsibility of city employees.
If a cleanup crew must be assigned afterwards, a flat fee of $500 will be billed to the event organizers, along with $75 per hour.
Following your event, if appropriate, you will receive an invoice from the city for extra-duty police and usage of our facilities.
Organizations with outstanding invoices may not be approved for the following year’s event.