This Sandcastle Festival In Texas Will Take You Back To Childhood Beach Days

Spring hasn’t even officially begun yet, but we Texans already have summertime on the brain. Port Aransas is kicking off the season early with SandFest, an annual sand sculpture competition that takes everyone’s favorite childhood beach day activity to a whole new level.

SandFest has been around since 1997, boasting its status as the largest native-sand sculpture contest in America. It will be held on April 26-28 this year.

Crowds flock here from all over the world to marvel at the incredible artistry. Sculptors face off all weekend long trying to one-up each other and create the most breathtaking scene.

The competition is divided into two categories: solo and duo. Pictured below is last year's solo winner, Delayne Corbett, posing in front of his masterpiece.

Morgan Rudluff and Abe Waterman were the winning duo. Just look at how thoughtful and intricate their creation is. It'll undoubtedly be a tough act to follow!

Other festivities include food, live music, and vendors selling everything from jewelry to furniture. Whether you're a spectator or competitor, there's never a dull moment.

SandFest is a nonprofit event, donating all revenue to various groups throughout Port Aransas.

Think you have what it takes to snag that first place medal? Registration for all ages is open through April 24. Click here to reserve a spot.

SandFest is held at 2906 On The Beach Drive, Port Aransas, TX 78373. You'll find the entrance between mile markers nine and 13.

For more information, check out the festival’s official website or Facebook page.

Have you ever been to SandFest? What was your favorite sculpture? For more sandy fun, check out our previous article: The Texas Sand Dunes That Will Transport You To Another World.

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Katie Lawrence

Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and changed her major twice (psychology, computer science, and finally criminal justice) before taking a leap of faith and dropping out to pursue a career in freelance writing. Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on the sofa with a hot cup of coffee, watching a crime TV show or scary movie.