Last updated: June 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET
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Rehoboth Beach boardwalk and bandstand in Sussex County, Delaware at sunrise

Sussex County Navy Week 2026: Dates, Schedule, Events & Rehoboth Seawitch Festival

StateDelaware
DatesOct 20 – 26, 2026
Anchor EventRehoboth Seawitch Festival
CostFree
UPCOMINGFIRST-TIME HOST
Source: NAVCO Last verified Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Navy Week Sussex County 2026 — Key Facts

Host city
Sussex County, Delaware
Dates
October 20 – 26, 2026
Anchor event
Rehoboth Seawitch Festival
First-time host?
Yes
Cost
Free and open to the public
Operator
Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO)
Navy assets
Navy bands and interactive displays (expected); Ceremonial Guard (expected); Hometown Sailors and recruiters; STEM demonstrations…
Coordinates
38.721°, -75.077°

Source: NAVCO — Navy Week Sussex County 2026 · Last verified: June 10, 2026

MISSION DOSSIER

Delaware's coastal Sussex County hosts Navy Week for the first time in 2026, coinciding with the Rehoboth Seawitch Festival — Rehoboth Beach's beloved Halloween-themed coastal celebration. Named the best annual festival in Delaware by Delaware Today Magazine, the festival's boardwalk setting provides a natural connection to the Navy's maritime mission.

Cape Henlopen State Park's Fort Miles — a WWII-era coastal defense installation whose observation towers still line the beaches — adds rich military heritage. Dover Air Force Base, the largest aerial port in the Department of Defense and home to the only Continental U.S. Port Mortuary, is just 45 miles north.

Anchor Event

Anchor-event-confirmed

The Rehoboth Seawitch Festival is a beloved Halloween-themed coastal festival in Rehoboth Beach, produced by the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce since 1989. Named THE BEST Annual Festival (Downstate) in Delaware Today Magazine (2022, 2023) and featured in HGTV's "21 Great Fall Festivals." Events include the Sea Witch Costume Parade down Rehoboth Avenue, Costumed Dog Parade, Sea Witch 5K, trick-or-treating, hayrides, and scarecrow trail. Free admission to most events.

Anchor event website

Confirmed as a first-time host by NAVCO. Sussex County's coastal location on Delaware Bay provides a natural connection to the Navy's maritime mission.

What to Expect

  • Rehoboth Seawitch Festival coastal integration
  • Fort Miles WWII coastal defense heritage
  • Navy Band performances at the Bandstand
  • STEM demonstrations
  • Boardwalk interactive exhibits
  • Community engagement across beach towns
  • Maritime heritage programming

DAILY SCHEDULE

Day-by-day breakdown. Items marked "TBA" mean NAVCO hasn't published precise times yet — check the official NAVCO city page or anchor event website closer to event week for confirmed schedules.

Source key:NAVCO-confirmedConfirmed by the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) official city page.Anchor-event-confirmedConfirmed by the anchor event organizer (air show, festival, or host venue).Local context — unverifiedLocal context or expected programming compiled by NavyWeek.org — not yet confirmed by NAVCO.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

Thursday, October 22, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

Friday, October 23, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

Saturday, October 24, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

Sunday, October 25, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

Monday, October 26, 2026

TBA
  • Daily schedule TBALocal context — unverified

    NAVCO has not published a detailed daily breakdown for this day. Check the official NAVCO city page for updates.

VENUES & MAP

SUSSEX COUNTY1Rehoboth Beach Bandstand2Rehoboth Avenue3Rehoboth Beach Convention Center4Cape Henlopen State Park (Fort Miles)5Indian River Life-Saving Station Museum
Schematic map — not to scale. Pins are approximate locations of primary Navy Week venues in Sussex County. Use the venue addresses below for navigation.
1.

Rehoboth Beach Bandstand

Local context — unverified
17 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Rehoboth Seawitch Festival main stage and Navy Band performances.

Metered street parking + paid lots; arrive early.

2.

Rehoboth Avenue

Local context — unverified
Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Sea Witch Costume Parade route.

Closed to vehicles during parade — use off-route paid lots.

3.

Rehoboth Beach Convention Center

Local context — unverified
229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Indoor exhibits and outreach programming.

Convention Center lot; paid.

4.

Cape Henlopen State Park (Fort Miles)

Local context — unverified
15099 Cape Henlopen Dr, Lewes, DE 19958

WWII coastal defense site — observation towers and historic batteries.

State park lot; entry fee for out-of-state vehicles.

5.

Indian River Life-Saving Station Museum

Local context — unverified
25039 Coastal Hwy, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Historic life-saving station — maritime heritage outreach.

Delaware Seashore State Park lot; entry fee.

Parking & Getting There

Local context — unverified

Rehoboth Beach uses paid meters (typically $3/hour, free 5 PM–10 AM in shoulder season) plus seasonal lots. During the Rehoboth Seawitch Festival, Rehoboth Avenue closes to vehicles for the parade — use off-route lots and walk. Cape Henlopen State Park charges Delaware Seashore entry for out-of-state vehicles.

Cost

Free. All Navy Week Sussex County events — Navy Band at the Bandstand, boardwalk exhibits, maritime heritage programming — are free. Rehoboth Seawitch Festival admission is also free; specific anchor activities (5K race) have separate registration fees.

Local Military Context

Dover Air Force Base (~45 miles north) is the largest aerial port in the Department of Defense, home to the 436th Airlift Wing (C-5M Super Galaxy & C-17 Globemaster III) and the only Continental U.S. Port Mortuary — where fallen service members are returned with dignity. It contributes ~$470 million annually to Delaware's economy.

Fort Miles at Cape Henlopen is a WWII-era coastal defense installation whose observation towers still line the beaches. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution ("The First State"). The state has approximately 70,000 veterans. As a Mid-Atlantic beach resort area, the Rehoboth Seawitch Festival draws visitors from DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, multiplying outreach impact.

Navy Assets & Units

  • Navy bands and interactive displays (expected)
  • Ceremonial Guard (expected)
  • Hometown Sailors and recruiters
  • STEM demonstrations
  • Potential small Navy vessel visit (coastal location)

FAQ — NAVY WEEK SUSSEX COUNTY

Navy Week Sussex County runs October 20–26, 2026, coinciding with the Rehoboth Seawitch Festival in Rehoboth Beach (the festival traditionally runs the last weekend of October).

Yes. All official Navy Week events and Rehoboth Seawitch Festival admission are free. Some festival activities (the Sea Witch 5K race) have separate registration fees.

Use paid meters or seasonal lots; expect $3/hour during the day. Rehoboth Avenue closes to vehicles during the Sea Witch parade — park on side streets and walk.

Yes. Fort Miles at Cape Henlopen State Park preserves WWII coastal defense towers and batteries. Out-of-state vehicles pay a Delaware Seashore park entry fee.

No. 2026 is Sussex County's first time as a Navy Week host city, confirmed by NAVCO.

Dover AFB — the largest aerial port in the Department of Defense — is about 45 miles north of Rehoboth Beach via DE-1.

MORE NAVY WEEK 2026 CITIES

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U.S. NAVY REFERENCE

Beyond Sussex County Navy Week, our reference library covers the service behind the outreach — bases, ranks, officer designators, enlisted ratings, and veteran benefits.

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