Bethany Beach Bandstand
Free concerts at the end of the boardwalk. Bring your own chair.
Garfield Pkwy at the Boardwalk, Bethany Beach, DE 19930
Hours
Hours not posted
Last checked 2026-09-13
- Cost
- Free
- Best for
- 3-12
- Indoor / outdoor
- Outdoor
- Typical visit
- An evening
Open-air bandstand at the top of the boardwalk with free summer concerts and movie nights; nothing to do here without an event.
The Quick Version
- • Free open-air concerts at the boardwalk end of Garfield Pkwy. Bench seating is provided free of charge, but the town says it's limited and first-come — they ask you to bring your own chairs.
- • Summer shows are Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. through Labor Day. Wednesdays in July are Family Nights at 6:00 p.m. September shifts to Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
- • Family Nights are the with-kids pick — the 2026 July lineup included Mr. Jon & Friends, Beauty & the Beats, and magician Salazar, all at 6:00.
- • Everything is weather dependent, and the town does cancel outright. Check before you load the car.
- • Pay-to-park runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., May 15 through Sept 15, at $4/hour — so an evening show is still a paid-parking night.
Best Ages
3-12
Plan For
An evening
Admission
Free
What to Expect
The bandstand is an open-air stage at the boardwalk end of Garfield Parkway, and the 2026 Seaside Concert Series is free. Bench seating is provided free of charge, but the town is blunt about it being limited and first-come — they ask people not to save full benches in the hours before a show, and they encourage you to bring your own chairs. With kids, a blanket at the edge of the crowd tends to beat fighting for bench space.
The schedule is the thing to get right. Summer shows are Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. through Labor Day; Wednesdays in July are Family Nights at 6:00 p.m.; September moves to Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Monday Movies on the Bandstand run alongside the concert series.
All events are weather dependent, and the 2026 season shows what that means in practice: one July show was canceled with no rain date, another was rained out and rescheduled three weeks later, and an August show was moved to a Friday because of storms. What the town's pages don't say: whether there are restrooms, changing tables, or any food at the bandstand itself. Plan as if the answer is no.
Who It's Best For
The July Family Nights at 6:00 p.m. are aimed at younger kids — the 2026 slate had a kids' musician, a fairytale sing-along show, and a magician. The regular 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday shows are mostly classic-rock, Motown, country, and service-band tribute acts, which older kids can enjoy but which run past a lot of bedtimes.
Highlights
Family Nights, Wednesdays in July
Ages 2-9The 6:00 p.m. slot, an hour and a half earlier than the regular series. The 2026 run included Mr. Jon & Friends (a Parents' Choice-winning kids' performer with a full band), Beauty & the Beats, and magician Salazar.
The Seaside Concert Series
Ages 6 and upThursday and Saturday nights at 7:30 through Labor Day. The town describes the range as rock and pop to country and jazz; the 2026 season included the U.S. Air Force's Max Impact, the 287th Army Band, and a string of tribute acts.
Monday Movies on the Bandstand
All agesListed on the town's Bandstand page alongside the concert series. Titles and start times aren't posted there — check the town's calendar before counting on one.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • A 7:30 p.m. Thursday or Saturday show if bedtime is anywhere near 8 — the July Family Nights at 6:00 exist for exactly this reason.
- • Counting on a bench. Seating is limited and first-come; without a chair or blanket you're standing.
Logistics
Admission
Free admission
The town's page describes the Seaside Concert Series as free entertainment and says bench seating is provided free of charge. The real cost is parking: $4/hour, May 15 through Sept 15, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Getting There
Parking
Pay-to-park is enforced every day May 15 through Sept 15, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., at $4.00 per hour. Pay by plate at the pay stations (AMEX, MasterCard, VISA, Discover, or quarters) or through ParkMobile. Garfield Parkway spaces carry a 2-hour limit; all other pay parking spaces are unrestricted. Daily and multi-day digital permits run $40 (1-day) to $280 (7-day) and are not valid on Garfield Parkway.
Skip Garfield Parkway for a concert night — the 2-hour limit is the one that bites. Every other pay space is unrestricted. Enforcement runs to 10 p.m., so a 7:30 show is a paid-parking show; a permit does not guarantee you a space. Coin change-makers are at 99 Garfield and Garfield at N. Pennsylvania.
Entrance
The bandstand sits at the boardwalk end of Garfield Parkway (Rt 26), in the middle of downtown Bethany. There is no gate and no ticket line.
Parent Logistics
It's an open-air bandstand on the downtown boardwalk, so a stroller gets there fine. What the town doesn't post is where a stroller can sit once the crowd fills in — plan to park it at the back edge.
Public restrooms are close by on the boardwalk end of Garfield Parkway.
Not confirmed.
None at the bandstand — it's open boardwalk. Hats and sunscreen for daytime events; evening concerts are the comfortable ones.
Food & Snacks
No food on-site. No food service at the bandstand is listed on the town's page. Treat it as bring-your-own or eat on Garfield Parkway before the show.
Snack strategy: Feed everyone first. Nothing on-site is confirmed, and a 7:30 start with hungry kids is a short evening.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Bring chairs. The town asks you to, because the free benches are limited and go early.
- ✓ Park off Garfield Parkway. Garfield spaces have a 2-hour limit; every other pay space in town is unrestricted.
- ✓ Weather calls go out on the town's social accounts (Facebook @visitbethanybeach, Instagram @bethanybeachevents) — check there before you drive down.
- ✓ For schedule questions, the town lists Events Director Julie Malewski at 302-539-8011, ext. 123.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Wednesdays in July, when Family Nights start at 6:00 p.m. instead of 7:30. September's Friday and Saturday shows start at 6:30, which also lands earlier than the summer schedule.
Seasonal Notes
2026 Seaside Concert Series: Thursday and Saturday nights in summer at 7:30 p.m. through Labor Day; Family Nights on Wednesdays in July at 6:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday nights in September at 6:30 p.m. The town also runs Monday Movies on the Bandstand. Upcoming on our calendar: 7 Bridges (Eagles tribute) Aug 27, Crash The Limo Aug 29, Broadway at the Beach Sept 18, 70s Flashback Sept 25, Delmarva Big Band Sept 26.
Rainy Day?
There isn't one at the bandstand — all events are weather dependent and the town cancels or moves shows outright, sometimes with no rain date. Confirm on the town's social accounts or website before you go.
Upcoming Events
Know when something good is on near Bethany Beach Bandstand
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