DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson presents a national corporate partnership award to Big Chill Manager Becca Anderson in recognition of the company’s work with Delaware State Parks and the community. Photo by Delaware State Parks

The Big Chill Beach Club at Delaware Seashore State Park was recognized with the President’s Award for Corporate Partnership by the National Association of State Parks Directors (NASPD) at this year’s conference. The NASPD President’s Award is presented to individuals, groups or organizations who have made an extraordinary contribution to America’s State Parks at the local, state or national level.

In 2016, the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation entered a public-private partnership with La Vida Hospitality, LLC to operate and enhance the concession at Delaware Seashore State Park’s South Inlet Day Area. Since the Big Chill Beach Club opened in 2017, it has embraced the community and the park by offering events and fundraisers.

“This partnership has significantly improved visitor amenities and supports ongoing park events, strengthening the overall guest experience at Delaware Seashore State Park,” said Secretary Greg Patterson of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “Delaware Seashore is one of our most popular parks, and the Big Chill is a great partner with our parks.”

This year, the Big Chill provided two beach webcams for the public to enjoy views of the shoreline and partnered with a local non-profit for biweekly beach cleanups. It also sponsored park programs like the Evening Bridge Hike, hosted family beach movie nights and brought in nationally recognized skim boarding competitions. It also sponsored the Delaware Seashore State Park lifeguarding banquet and awards as well as the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce dinner honoring area lifeguards. Finally, it contributed to local fundraising events, like the Delaware Center for Inland Bays and Celebrate Wellness, a group dedicated to mental wellness for hospitality workers through education, financial support, and resources and connections to mental health experts.

La Vida invested $1 million in the property to open the restaurant, which can host up to 200 people for dinner, music, special events and weddings, offering a 36-foot umbrella to shelter visitors from the weather.

“La Vida Hospitalities has been a great partner to Delaware State Parks from the very beginning and is exactly what a successful private/public partnership could look like,” said Matthew Ritter, director of DNREC’s Division of Park and Recreation.

For more information on the Big Chill Beach Club, visit the bigchillbeachclub.com website or for more information on Delaware Seashore State Park, visit the destateparks.com/park/delaware-seashore/ webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina.  For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Beth Kuhles-Heiney, elizabeth.kuhlesheiney@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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