Volume 1 Number 4| June 24, 2021
Your RBMS Newsletter July 2021
This newsletter is a publication of Rehoboth Beach Main Street. President: Greer Maneval. Executive Director: Dan Slagle. Newsletter Executive Editor / Communications Committee Co-Chair: Peter J. Pizzolongo. Reporters/Editors: Dan Slagle, Jerry Filbin, James Mease, Cindy Lovett, & Ed Chrzanowski.
Summer 2021 Reopens with a Bang and a President
 
Just as Spring morphs into Summer, and living becomes easier, Rehoboth Beach welcomes visitors by the tens of thousands to our seaside resort. And this year, in addition to our usual influx of visitors mainly from the mid-Atlantic region, the end of the yearlong COVID-19 lockdowns, along with Delaware’s own newly elected President of the United States, who maintains a beachhouse here, we can most assuredly expect an influx of first-time visitors to our shores. And to start the Summer season off with a bang, the annual Fourth of July Fireworks extravaganza, on July 3rd, is guaranteed to delight the masses as they view the display from a myriad of locations along our beach and boardwalk.
 
Enjoy the sun and surf along our beaches during the day. Let the fun continue with special events scheduled throughout the summer season from concerts at the bandstand to a sandcastle competition on the beach. Other things to do include world-class ocean and bay fishing expeditions, nightlife/entertainment, and biking and jogging trails, along with an array of restaurant choices to satisfy everyone’s palate. It is guaranteed to be a welcome respite from the grind of everyday life. As the nation awakens from the throes of a global pandemic, Rehoboth Beach stands ready to ensure everyone has a fun-filled relaxing time enjoying their favorite pastimes for the duration of their stay—be it one day, one week or longer. While here be sure and check out the RBMS Official Guide to Downtown Rehoboth Beach in hotel lobbies and street newsboxes across town for new and exciting things to do.
 
In this issue we showcase several of Rehoboth Beach’s businesses as well as provide updates on RBMS’ Rehoboth in Bloom downtown beautification activities and other items of interest to residents and visitors alike. Finally, this issue includes our regular Save-the-Date and City Update items for your future planning needs.   
RBMS’ Official Guide to Downtown Rehoboth Beach Is Back on the Street
 
Start Planning Your Rehoboth Beach Vacation with RBMS’ Official Guide to Downtown Rehoboth Beach! The free Guidebook has information on events, restaurants and retail in town and includes dozens of coupons for discounts with downtown establishments that have been re-validated for the current year. The Guide can be found in hotels and restaurants in town, as well as in brightly colored news boxes—and you can download it for free, as well!  
Congratulations to Nicola Pizza!

Nicola Pizza celebrated 50 years of business on June 11. Nick, Sr., and Joan Caggiano founded the Rehoboth business in 1971, and Nicola Pizza soon became famous for its Nic-o-Bolis. The 50th anniversary celebration was a family affair. Pictured are (l-r) Nick Caggiano Jr., KellySr.’s niece and restaurant manager, Nick Caggiano Sr. and his 17-year-old grandson Vincent Caggiano. Congratulations to Nick, Sr., and the Nicola Pizza family! For more information, see the Nicola Pizza website and the Cape Gazette article, "Nicola Pizza celebrates 50 years of business."
Showcasing Rehoboth Beach Businesses
Coastal Hobo

Rehoboth’s home for luxury beach accessories is Coastal Hobo, a family-owned manufacturer and retailer for handmade vegan soap, soy candles, and Turkish towels. The products are are all natural, with no animal fats and no synthetic chemicals. Coastal Hobo’s outstanding customer service features doorstep delivery, too. The store was founded in 2008 with the mission to combine contemporary with traditional—exceptional comfort and style can be achieved with techniques hundreds of years old. Shop Coastal Hobo’s luxury beach accessories to see exactly what they mean! For more information, visit the Coastal Hobo website at Luxury Beach Accessories | Coastal HoBo.
Rehoboth Beach’s Premier LGBTQ+ B&B Is the Rehoboth Guest House.
 
Looking for classic charm and modern convenience for your stay in Rehoboth Beach? You get that and more on a quiet, downtown residential street just a block from the Boardwalk. The Rehoboth Guest House is a charming gay-owned and -operated, adults (18+) only, Victorian bed and breakfast, and has been in existence for over 40 years—although the 2 houses date to the 1870s and 1880s. The Guest House was purchased in 2013 by owners Frank Colonnello and Garrett Wood and has been expanded and modernized without the loss of any of its original charm. The lodging has 18 rooms and 16 baths and features breakfast for the guests. Innkeeper, Tom Kelch says, “Our guests come back again and again because it’s like visiting a friend’s house at the beach.” It’s hard to beat the atmosphere and convenience footsteps from all that downtown Rehoboth has to offer. See more information and pictures of the Rehoboth Guest House on Maryland Ave at their website. And call for more information: 302-227-4117.
Sunny Bay Café
 
One of Rehoboth’s newest go-to restaurants for breakfast and lunch this season is the recently opened Sunny Bay Café, located at 236 Rehoboth Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach. Owner and Chef Laurie Orfanidis, along with co-owner Ben Stoner, may be new to Rehoboth’s restaurant scene but together they bring decades of successful restaurant operations with them to the beach location, having worked together in one of the top ten Best Breakfast/Brunch restaurants in Harford County, Maryland. Luckily, for us they are just in time to wow beachgoers looking for an escape from the throes of the pandemic and all its restrictions. Be sure to check out their online menu at www.sunnybaycaferb.com, which features comfort foods including crepes along with an array of mouthwatering desserts to satisfy any palate. “They want their customers to walk in and be happy and when they leave they want them to be happy and full.”
Sunny Bay Café is open seven days a week from 8:00am–4:00pm Monday–Friday and 7:30am–4:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. They are currently in the process of obtaining a liquor license, after which, Ben assures us, they plan on hosting a fantastic Happy Hour. For more information call 302-567-2344 or email them at sunnybaycaferb@gmail.com.  
Boutique W

Robin Cohen, owner of the upscale women's boutique, said shoppers come for the experience and stay for the clothes. “We are an age-positive, body-positive, inclusive clothing and accessories store,” she said. This is the third Boutique W for Cohen, who also has stores in Newtown Square PA and Lutherville MD. Boutique W specializes in upscale yet affordable luxury art to wear, women’s clothing, jewelry, and accessories!
Boutique W carries jewelry and clothing brands such as Planet, Alembika, Magnolia Pearl, and Clara Sunwoo, to name a few. For more information, go to www.shopboutiquew.com.
Respect Rehoboth Campaign

For the safety and well-being of everyone, Rehoboth Beach Main Street is humbly promoting patience and understanding. When you go into a restaurant or retail business, please stay calm. Many downtown merchants are experiencing staffing issues, and current staff associates are constantly working long hours and double shifts. Most business owners are still having hiring challenges, and they ask for patience while they increase staffing. Many of the downtown restaurants & retail stores are hiring for all positions!
 
 
Matt Gaffney planned, secured a grant through “Walmart Giving,” and added Bloom’s new garden at the east end of Rehoboth Avenue by the turn-around. Flowers include Rudibeckia American Goldrush, grasses, and Blue Salvia. The Rudibekia Sunny Smileyz are already blooming, and they are HUGE! Matt and Kim Catts will tend this garden throughout the season.
Tree Stewards
 
This team is working hard to get the Tree Stewards program off the ground. The focus will be on weeding, loosening the soil, mulching, and watering trees that were planted within the last 1–3 years and no longer on a care contract. Grove Park and Munson are the starting point. Locating water sources for the care of the trees on Munson Street is one of the biggest issues. At 7:00am on Sunday, June 6, the team mulched about a dozen trees on Munson Street. Ultimately the Tree Stewards would like to involve and train the community on proper tree care. We are working to engage the property owners on Munson Street. The Tree Stewards get lots of appreciation from passersby when tending the trees. Pictured: Joan Flaherty, Elise Burns, and Lead Suzanne Rowland. Not pictured: Marsha Burd and Andrea Hoffman.
Pollinator Garden
 
Bloom’s very first pollinator garden was installed on June 10 at Grove Park. Thank you, Liz Lingo, for working with us on this project! Lead Phyllis Bolton worked with our garden advisor, Janet Point, to plan this space. This team is also weeding the ground-level plantings at the Water Taxi and maintaining six planters at the Museum, RBMS office, and Grove Park. These are truly dedicated volunteers!!
Commercial Vacancy Rate

We are happy to report that Rehoboth Beach’s commercial vacancy rate is Zero! 0! Congratulations to all the businesses in town—those that have been with us for a while and those that are new this summer!
Are You Ready for the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand Summer Concert Series? 
 
The Bandstand Summer Concert Series is back for a 2021 season! The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand is a music and entertainment venue at Rehoboth Avenue and the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand Summer Concert Series takes place every year from mid-June through Labor Day Weekend and has been providing FREE entertainment for Rehoboth Beach and its visitors since 1963! Each year, over 40 bands are selected to perform in an open-air concert venue just steps from the beach. The goal of the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand is to provide entertainment through music, movies, variety acts, and other local, regional, and national performances. All performances begin at 8:00pm, Friday–Sunday (unless noted). All concerts are sponsored by the City of Rehoboth Beach. For more information on the events, visit the Bandstand website.
Rehoboth Beach: The Nation’s Summer Capital
  
Rehoboth Beach has been known as Our Nation’s Summer Capital for decades. The most common explanation for this is Coastal Delaware’s proximity to Washington DC—many Washingtonian natives and “come here’s” travel to Rehoboth Beach for a weekend, week(s)-long, or full-summer getaway, year after year. Others claim that our beach’s reputation as the Summer Capital goes back to the Richard Nixon Administration, when daughters Trisha and Julie and their friends regularly visited Rehoboth Beach; others claim it was during the then-POTUS Lyndon Johnson’s era, when daughters Lynda Bird and Luci Baines and friends were the to-Rehoboth travelers. Regardless—Rehoboth Beach IS Our Nation’s Summer Capital. And, the area’s claim is now even stronger—and known throughout the world—as POTUS Joe Biden and family visit their purchased-in-2017 North Shores residence for their getaways—most recently to celebrate FLOTUS Jill Biden’s 70th birthday. Of course, the Bidens have long been familiar faces in Rehoboth Beach. Both Joe and Jill have hosted book-signing events at Browsabout Books; frequented Double Dippers, often with the grandkids; lunched at Lori’s Oy Vey Café and had dinner at DiFebo’s; and worshiped at St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church.

The President’s presence in Rehoboth Beach causes some changes in our regular routines. Marine One, the Presidential helicopter, lands in the Gordons Pond State Park parking lot—causing the park to be closed on arrival and departure days. Presidential limousine caravans can cause havoc in our typically crowded streets in the summer. But many are happy to put up with these inconveniences, as the President and First Lady are accommodating “celebrities,” stopping often to take selfies with folks, chatting with fellow customers in the restaurants and shops they visit, or having their pictures taken as they sit on the bench in front of Browsabout Books. For more information about Our Nation’s Summer Capital, check out the Washingtonian Magazine article (written before the Election) or the more-recent Washington Post article and Washington Blade article.
Become a RBMS Volunteer and Get Connected. Share Resources. Be Inspired.

Communications Committee * Design Committee
Economic Vitality Committee * Organization Committee * Promotion Committee
 
Rehoboth Beach Main Street Volunteers
The greatest benefit of being a Rehoboth Beach Main Street Volunteer is the opportunity to connect and network with our downtown commercial district revitalization professionals, downtown business owners, and residents, and grow our social media platform.
 
Who We Are
Rehoboth Beach Main Street , Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting businesses and residents through partnerships that strengthen and unify the downtown community.
 
Our Philosophy
As an accredited Main Street America organization, Rehoboth Beach Main Street embraces the five-point approach to successful economic revitalization and follows several endorsed targeted economic development strategies.
 
Get Involved—Join Us Today!
For additional information or volunteer opportunities, please contact:
Dan Slagle. Executive Director
Rehoboth Beach Main Street, Inc. 509 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Cell: 302-249-6525 Office: 302-227-2772 Email: dan@downtownrb.com
Recognizing Our Volunteers: Peter Pizzolongo
 
Peter Pizzolongo is a member of the Rehoboth Beach Main Street Board of Directors, Editor of the Rehoboth Beach Main Street Newsletter, Co-Chair of the newly organized Communications Committee, and a member of the Organization Committee. He has also been instrumental in the development of several grant proposals for RBMS in 2020 and 2021. Peter and his spouse, Carlos Prugue, moved to the Rehoboth Beach area full-time in 2018 when they purchased a home in the Redden Ridge community. Previously they were part-time residents, with a condo in Eagles Landing, since 2010, and have been visitors to Rehoboth Beach since the 1970s. Peter is an early childhood educator and served as an administrator and teacher-trainer for various organizations, including Zero To Three and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), as well as several consulting firms and institutions of higher education in the Washington, DC, area, and his alma mater, U DE. He enjoys yoga, Tai Chi, biking, scootering, and cooking. In addition to his roles with RBMS, Peter is a member and former Vice-President of the Delaware AEYC affiliate; Clear Space Theatre Producer’s Circle and Development Committee member; appointee to the U DE College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Advisory Council; and member of the Redden Ridge Social Committee.
Save the Date
National HIV Testing Day - June 27th!

National HIV Testing Day is observed every year on June 27th. CAMP Rehoboth’s HIV prevention program, CAMPsafe, will be offering FREE HIV testing at CAMP Rehoboth from 11:00am to 3:00pm to raise awareness of HIV and the importance of knowing your status. Testing is free and confidential. If you come in on testing day, get your test,  get your results, you will get a gift card in return. Take home test kits also available for the community. Results available in 15 minutes.  Get tested. Know your status. CAMP also offers testing other times and days during the week. Call for an appointment if you can't make testing day. #NationalHIVtestingday

CAMP Rehoboth is located at: 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Rehoboth Beach Main Street

Tours are coming! Rehoboth Beach Main Street is pleased to announce the formation of Downtown Walking Tours of Rehoboth Beach starting in July. The tour has everything from history to fun facts about your favorite beach town! More information will be released soon on our social media accounts and website. Follow us at www.DowntownRB.com.
Rehoboth Art League

71st Annual Rehoboth Art League Cottage Tour, July 1 – July 14

The Rehoboth Art League is pleased to continue its Cottage Tour in 2021. The League is hosting a 2–week self-paced virtual tour you can enjoy from the convenience of your home. The Tour is now in its 71st year. Though health and safety concerns prevented RAL’s event from happening in 2020, they are excited to announce that the 71st Annual Cottage Tour will be held virtually this July and will be filled with online home tours, homeowner videos, virtual tours of artwork, and much more. The Cottage Tour Committee, a group of volunteers, has worked hard to vet and secure another incredibly special selection of local homes that showcase the best of the area’s art and design. The homes on this event’s 2021 tour offer a variety of landscapes, interior, and architectural designs, ranging from historically significant to contemporary and sleek. Some homes have quite an evolving history and many homeowners showcase memories, artwork, and collections in creative ways. The Art League’s Historic Peter Marsh Homestead will again be featured on the Tour, reinvented with contemporary furnishings and feel, thanks to the creative vision of the League’s event underwriter. To purchase tickets, go to https://www.rehobothartleague.org/ 
48th Annual Members’ Fine Craft Exhibition,
June 11, 2021 - July 18, 2021
 
All members of the Rehoboth Art League are invited to participate in this popular non-juried craft exhibition that showcases a wide variety of imaginative fine crafts that are unique, whimsical and functional, including: baskets, ceramics, fiber, glass, handmade paper, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, and wood. Awards are given for outstanding works.
Rehoboth Beach Fireworks, Saturday, July 03
 
See Fireworks article in City Update below.
Clear Space Theatre
 
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, July 1 – August 26

The heartwarming, uplifting adventure of three friends, Tick, Bernadette, and Adam (two drag queens and a transsexual), who take their show to the middle of the Australian outback. Aboard a battered old bus (nicknamed Priscilla), they search for love and friendship and end up finding more than they ever could have dreamed. With a hit parade of dancefloor favorites including "It’s Raining Men,” “I Will Survive,” “Hot Stuff,” “True Colors,” “Go West,” “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” and “I Love the Nightlife,” this wildly fresh and funny musical is a journey to the heart of FABULOUS! 
 
Christopher Peter’s Eyecons: Thank You Tour, July 4 – September 5
Saturdays 10:00pm and Sundays 9:00pm
 
Christopher says, “thank you” as he starts his THANK YOU TOUR at Clear Space with his hit show EYECONS this season, with the best of past shows. Christopher is a master of impersonations, both visually and vocally, and his comic timing is impeccable. The show is ALL LIVE, no lip-sync! Audiences will be thrilled with his parodies of Marilyn Monroe, Joan Rivers, Reba McEntire, Bette Midler, Cher, Tina Turner, Liza Minnelli, and Judy Garland, to name a few. You will be amazed as Christopher transforms himself from icon to icon right in front of your eyes aided by his magic closet on stage. If you have never seen the show before but heard how FABULOUS it is, grab a ticket and see you there. If you have seen it now’s your chance to relive it all over again, maybe this time with a friend.
 
Unlike previous years, due to COVID seating will remain as it is for mainstage productions, in a cabaret-style. Reserved tables of 2 or 4 seats are available for purchase online. Tickets at the door will be limited to availability, so get yours now!
 
Sound of Music, July 7 – August 28
 
One of the most beloved musicals of all time! In Austria, 1938, an exuberant young governess brings music and joy back to a broken family, only to face danger and intrigue as the Nazis gain power. With songs the whole family will enjoy, including “Climb Every Mountain,” “Do Re Me,” “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss,” and many more.
 
Sing-Along Saturday Matinees! July 10 – 31
Join along with the cast and sing-along at Clear Space Theatre’s Saturday 2:00pm matinee performances of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Mamma Mia, and The Sound of Music. Click here to view the full calendar of performances, including Sing-Along Saturdays.
 
Tickets for Clear Space Theatre performances can be purchased from their website: Clear Space Theatre » Artistic endeavors of integrity and risk
 
Clear Space Performances on Meterless Mondays
 
Clear Space Theatre reminds Coastal Delawareans and our visitors that you can take advantage of Meterless Mondays to catch a performance. (See Meterless Mondays description in City Update below.) Here is the show schedule for Meterless Mondays!

City Update
Rehoboth Beach Fireworks Return!

The City of Rehoboth Beach’s Fourth of July fireworks display will launch on Saturday, July 3, around 9:30pm. Festivities include musical sets performed by The Funsters at the Bandstand beginning at 8:00pm and again after the fireworks display. Please be in town early! “We’re really excited that the country is opening back up and that we are able to celebrate with our annual fireworks display,” said City Manager Sharon Lynn. “It’s been a challenging year-and-a-half and, like everyone else, we’re eager to have a little fun and enjoy the kind of summer activities that Rehoboth Beach is so well known for. We are confident that we can have a safe fireworks display this year and delighted that Rehoboth Beach is a ‘happy place’ for so many. We look forward to a great summer.”
The city will take COVID safety precautions at the fireworks display, as approved the Division of Public Health, including providing hand-sanitizing stations, mandating masks for those who are unvaccinated, and encouraging social distancing between groups. For more information: Boom! Bang! Ahh... Rehoboth Beach fireworks are on! | City of Rehoboth

For easy transportation in and out of the city, the Jolly Trolley and DART buses will be running. For parking information, visit https://www.cityofrehoboth.com/.  
 
Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners Elections, August 14
 
The City of Rehoboth Beach will hold its annual municipal election from 10:00am–6:00 pm on Saturday, August 14, 2021, in the Convention Center, located at 229 Rehoboth Avenue. Two seats for City Commissioner will be contested. Terms of office are three years for each position. To be eligible to vote on August 14, you must register at City Hall on or before Thursday, July 15, 2021. The deadline for voter registration to vote in the 2021 municipal election is close of business on July 15, 2021. City Hall is open from 8:30 am–12:30 pm Saturdays through July 10 (except for July 3) to help facilitate matters related to the election.

The candidate filing deadline for Rehoboth’s 2021 municipal election was June 7, and there are five people vying for two seats. Incumbent Commissioner Richard Byrne and Planning Commissioner Rachel Macha have filed for the election, as well as Tim Bennett and former Commissioner Toni Sharp. Sitting Commissioner Pat Coluzzi is not running for re-election.
 
For additional information about the elections, go to Elections | City of Rehoboth. For information about the candidates, go to Candidate slate set for Rehoboth’s 2021 municipal election | Cape Gazette.
Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Elections: Considerations

We know that a vibrant downtown economy benefits residents by ensuring a dynamic community to live in, as well as “healthy” property values. What do you know about the candidates’ views on ways to keep Rehoboth Beach vibrant, their views on the role Rehoboth Beach Main Street plays to support the town’s residents and businesses? Be sure to check out the candidates’ platforms before you vote on August 14!

Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association and CAMP Rehoboth invite you to join them for a Candidate Forum on July 17th at CAMP Rehoboth, starting at 10:00am. The forum will feature the candidates running to be commissioner in Rehoboth Beach. CAMP Rehoboth members may send questions in advance to info@camprehoboth.com.