2023 AIA Houston Sandcastle Competition is PRESENTED BY: Call 811 - Know what's below. Call before you dig
ABOUT THE 2023 EVENT
The AIA Sandcastle Competition is a fundraising event for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation as well as one of the top five revenue-generating events for the City of Galveston.
This year we have 48 teams competing and they all have their eyes and shovels set on winning the prestigious Gold Bucket Award. Firms begin months in advance generating ideas, developing designs, and assigning duties. On the day of the event, the teams - stretched along the beach front - meticulously sculpt their piles of sand and work non-stop for five hours.
The judging of the sculptures is rated on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical difficulty, carving technique, and utilization of the site. In addition to the Gold Bucket, Silver Shovel and Bronze Shovel, awards are given for Sustainability, College Challenge, Structural Ingenuity, Team T-shirt and Team Sign. The themed categories are Traditional Castle and Architectural Icon, and NEW FOR 2023 - Optical Illusions, Kidtastic! Toy Box (favorite childhood toys), Texas Pride, and Pop Culture: Best of the 90’s. At the end of the day, everyone goes home with memories of a great day at the beach filled with fun, sand, and sun.
THE SAND SCULPTURES: Please respect the hard work of our participants by not touching any of the sand sculptures even after the event. Many spectators visit the beach the next day, on Sunday, to view and enjoy the sculptures.
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EVENT DAY
6:30am Beach opens for teams and sponsors
9:00am Public is encouraged to begin to arrive to watch the competition
10:00am - 3:00pm Teams compete and build
10:00pm-4:00pm Castle Creation Kid Zone
10:00pm-4:00pm Solor Cooking Demonstration
11:00am | 1:00pm | 3:00pm Sandcastle Building Lessons from a Pro
1:00pm - 3:30pm Public favorite voting
3:00 - 4:30pm Judging
5:00pm Awards
PARKING
Parking at East Beach Galveston is $15 cash only collected by the Galveston Parks Board. There is no ATM. There is no Metro bus service, train line, or rapid transit to Galveston or the event. Carpooling is strongly recommended. Allow plenty of time for traffic and parking.
SITE MAP
The Site Map will be posted once team registration closes.
PICNIC
Feel free to bring your own picnic: be sure to mind the City of Galveston's rules and regulations governing East Beach. The snack bar is open for business and food trucks will be on site. To see park information, click here. Private team and sponsor tents are not open to the public.
UMBRELLA RENTALS
Reserve your beach umbrella & chairs in advance by contacting Robbie Carnes at East Beach Cantina and Rentals - 409.974.5671 or visit here.
PETS
Pets are welcome on leashes. For more information, click here.
SCULPTURES
Please respect the hard work of our participants by not touching any of the sand sculptures even after the event. Many spectators visit the beach the next day, on Sunday, to view and enjoy the sculptures.
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If you are interested in entering a TEAM, please contact Ellen Grodjesk, or becoming an EVENT SPONSOR, please contact Aleks Savitski
PLEASE NOTE: AIA Houston does not contract vendors/food trucks for the event. Any interest in becoming a concessionaire at East Beach should be directed to the Galveston Parks Board. Click here for more information.
