LGBTQ organizations in Rehoboth Beach, Del. celebrated the end of the season with an array of events and fundraisers. Notably, CAMP Rehoboth welcomed the long-awaited return of its annual SunDance as part of SunFestival on Sunday evening. 

This year’s SunFestival was “a huge success,” said Wesley Combs, CAMP Rehoboth board president. “It was a true community effort, which was so heartwarming to see as the new board president.”

While official numbers from the weekend’s fundraising have yet to be determined, Combs noted that both of the weekend’s flagship events — SunDance, as well as a Saturday night performance by Emmy-winning comedian Judy Gold — were sold out, as were the sponsorships available for the event. The dance floor for SunDance, which had not been held since 2019 due to public health restrictions, “was packed from the minute the doors opened,” he added.

“Everyone was coming back together and doing something that they love to do, which is dancing under the mirror ball, being together and celebrating a great organization,” he said. “It’s hard to do that when you can’t see each other.”

CAMP Rehoboth is looking to kick off its search for a new executive director and will soon begin to implement its strategic planning process. The funds raised during SunFestival will help support the organization during this period of transition, Combs noted.

In the meantime, “this is going to be a time where we’re going to reflect,” he added. “We’re going to really assess, ‘What are the needs of our community?’ … and then understand what’s the most important thing for CAMP Rehoboth to be doing in the next five years.”

(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)