This project has been financed in part by the City of Rehoboth Beach. However, project contents or opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of The City of Rehoboth Beach.
The Year in Review!
Happy Holidays from everyone at Rehoboth Beach Main Street! We hope your holiday season has been filled with joy and laughter that will continue through the New Year. In this issue, we celebrate the successes of RBMS from 2024 and share a look forward to 2025!
We have some very exciting end-of-year statistics to share.
Category | Stats |
Number of Members | 146 |
Individual members | 9 |
Volunteer hours | 8,430 |
Newsletter subscribers
Newsletter business showcases | 2,056
51 |
Mentions of businesses in other sections of the newsletter
Radio announcements promoting RBMS members & events | 328
121 |
Highest Reach–August 2024: 119,270 Views | |
Highest Reach–August 2024: 12,430 Views | |
TikTok (new as of the summer) | 69,576 video plays across 67 posts—21,400 views of the Sunny Bay video; other RBMS videos with many views were the Jack Lingo REALTOR 50th Anniversary, Claws Seafood, Day to Night in Rehoboth Beach, 4th of July Week, & Oh How We Love Rehoboth Beach! |
Social media posts Google Ads–Impressions Google Ads–Links clicked | 175 177,143 3,279 |
As you can see, 2024 was a successful year at Rehoboth Beach Main Street. We look forward to more exciting and rewarding experiences for our members, staff, volunteers, and community in 2025!
The Year in Pictures!
Sign & Awning Grants
Each year, Rehoboth Beach Main Street helps downtown businesses save on sign and awning purchases by offering grants of up to $500. Four member businesses are selected for this financial assistance, available on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s winners were:
The Third Annual Oldies Dance, Friday, 3/15
“It’s a Bloomin’ Dance Party,” the annual oldies event sponsored by Rehoboth in Bloom, was held at the convention center. Scores attended and spent the night boogying away to the sounds of our favorite music! All had a grand time!
The 2024 Rehoboth Beach Gumbo Crawl, Saturday, 4/9
Over 1,000 people attended the third annual Gumbo Crawl on a lovely early spring day. The event was sold out and was a tremendous day as the aroma of delicious gumbo filled the air everywhere you went. Congratulations to all the participating restaurants!
The three top favorites selected by the Gumbo Crawlers were
1) Blue Moon
3) Mariachi
Rehoboth in Bloom
Rehoboth in Bloom's sixth year was a great success. One of the highlights was a comprehensive clean-up of the Verrazano Garden at the Boardwalk in the fall. Additionally, the volunteers worked diligently to enhance the beauty of the Canalside Garden next to the Rehoboth Beach Museum. A big thank you to all the volunteers who contributed their efforts this year!
Runway 2024: A Weekend of Fashion, 4/18-21
Fashion Weekend Events kicked off Thursday, April 18th, and ran through Sunday, April 21st, culminating in the grand finale: a fabulous hometown fashion show at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center! The most glamorous formal runway fashion show of the season featured trendsetting looks from our fashionable RBMS member retailers!
National Main Street Conference in Birmingham, AL, 5/7
Congratulations to Dan Slagle, the executive director of Rehoboth Beach Main Street, for representing Delaware at the recent National Main Streets America conference in Birmingham, Alabama. Dan gave an impressive presentation about seasonal economies and shared the strategies we use locally to encourage people to shop, eat, and enjoy downtown during the off-season!
Summer Parking for Downtown Employees
RBMS arranged for parking at the Rehoboth Beach Elementary School for downtown business employees during the summer months. We thank all involved in making this happen and helping to ease the parking burden for the hard workers of our businesses!
The 2024 Rehoboth Beach Margarita Crawl, Saturday, 6/8
Hundreds of partygoers lined the streets for this year’s crawl! Twenty-four downtown restaurants and bars participated in the event. The crawlers selected the following winners:
Best Margarita:
· First Place: Somewhere Rehoboth
· Second Place: Cilantro cocina mexican restaurant
· Third Place: Blue Moon
Most Creative Margarita:
Best Mocktail:
· Sirocco
Mrs. Roper Romp -Saturday, 9/21
Over 900 people participated in the second annual Mrs. Roper Romp on Saturday, September 21. Twenty downtown bars and restaurants participated, and Roper Rompers donated more than $2000 to our organization. We eagerly look forward to the 2025 Romp!
The RBMS Cottage and Town Awards, Sunday, 10/6
The Cottage and Town Awards recognize residential and commercial property owners who contribute to Rehoboth Beach's charm, beauty, and history through architectural and landscape renovation, restoration, and preservation. This year’s winners were:
Commercial Renovation Winner
Baja Bob’s – Bob Frankis.
Commercial Renovation Honorable Mention
Uncle David’s Ice Cream – Dennis Diehl, Connor Watson, and Jim Watson, Sharonlee Diehl.
Residential New Winner –
110 Norfolk Street – Owners Steve and Sara Becker, Builder Jim McGregor.
Residential New Honorable Mention –
5 Laurel Street – Todd and Margaret Wallace. Accepting is Brook Wallace (designer).
Residential Renovation Winner –
1001 Scarborough – Robert Nejman.
Residential Renovation Honorable Mention –
11 Hickman – Owner Kathleen Erb, Builder Stephanie Boright.
Landscape/Hardscape –
Summer House – Regan Derrickson.
Small Business Saturday/Hometown for the Holidays, 11/30
Hundreds of people filled the downtown streets for Small Business Saturday. Cheerful volunteers from RBMS walked around town in holiday attire to support the local "mom-and-pop" shops that contribute to our community's uniqueness. There were plenty of photo opportunities, children were filled with joy, and hopefully, a lot of shopping took place! We love and appreciate our local businesses!
Rehoboth Beach Hometown Christmas Parade, Monday, 12/2
The temperature dipped down to freezing, but hundreds of people braved the cold to have fun at the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company’s annual Hometown Christmas Parade. The parade featured floats from dozens of local businesses and organizations, high school marching bands, and cheerfully decorated fire trucks. RBMS proudly participated in the festivities.
Rehoboth Beach Main Street Community Unity Dinner, Sunday, 12/8
This year's community unity dinner was a resounding success! The convention center was transformed into a winter wonderland filled with happy people enjoying holiday cheer, wonderful food, and excellent libations.
Congratulations to Rehoboth Beach Citizen of the Year Chuck Snyder, who has served as a volunteer fireman in our city for fifty years!
The RBMS Champions of the year- Terry Kistler and Mike Venazi-were feted for their outstanding service to our community. Thanks to the excellent work of co-chairs Carolyn Diefenderfer, Jen Carroll, and many volunteers, all had a good time.
Wreaths Across America, Saturday, 12/14
A wonderful community gathering occurred at the Epworth Church cemetery to respect and honor our veterans. Organized by RBMS and the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association, attendees laid wreaths on the graves of fallen heroes. The names were read aloud during a heartfelt ceremony, reminding us of their incredible sacrifices.
Save the Date!
We look forward to another year of fun-filled events in 2025 sponsored by RBMS!
For a full version of Save the Date, go to Save The Date | RBMainSt (downtownrb.com) on the Rehoboth Beach Main Street Website.
Rehoboth Beach Library
226 Rehoboth Avenue
For a full calendar of events during January at the library, please visit Rehoboth Beach Public Library - LibCal - Delaware Libraries
Friday, 1/3, 5:00–7:00pm
FURst Friday
&
Bears and Bourbon Dinner / Fundraising Event
7:30-9:30pm
101 S. Boardwalk
$80 per ticket
Cash Bingo Fundraiser
Wednesday 1/8, Doors open at 11:30am. Games start at 1:00pm
11 Christian Street
What an Owl Knows
Sunday 1/12, 2:00–3:00pm
Lewes Public Library and via Zoom
111 Adams Street, Lewes DE
Sunday 1/12, 3:00–4:00pm
133 Rehoboth Avenue
Sunday 1/19, 3:00–4:00pm
133 Rehoboth Avenue
Tuesday 1/21, 5:00–6:00pm
Lewes Public Library
111 Adams Avenue, Lewes DE