14 Fantastical Sand Sculptures On Display At Annual Clearwater Sugar Sand Festival

CLEARWATER, FL — After kicking off last weekend, the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival on Clearwater Beach will continue through April 24, drawing thousands of visitors to see the works of 14 of the world's top sand sculptors in the 21,000-square-foot Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit.

Based on this year's theme, "An Animal Adventure," the sculptures include larger-than-life, fantastical bears, penguins, dragons and owls.

This year's sculptors include Benjamin Probanza, Damon Farmer, Dan Belcher, Daryl Bowles, Dmitry Klimenko, Hanneke Supply, Karen Fralich, Kirk Rademaker, Mark Mason, Martijn Rijerse, Patrick Harsch, Raymond Wirick, Sue McGrew, Yuri Nyuknatov, Damon Meri, Dean Arscott, Joohang Tan, Larry Hudson, Melinage Beauregard and Steve Schomaker.

Presented by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and organized by the nonprofit Sunsets at Pier 60 Daily Festival and the city of Clearwater, the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival is the largest destination event on Clearwater Beach, attracting more than 200,000 visitors.

Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

In addition to being able to tour the larger-than-life sand menagerie, visitors will be treated to live concerts Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, strolling performers, arts and crafts, a variety of food and drinks, a chance to kiss a gator and see other animals from the Alligator Wildlife and Discovery Center in Madeira Beach, sand-sculpting competitions and sand-sculpting classes, carnival rides, corn hole tournaments, a giant sandbox where kids can create their own masterpieces, fireworks displays at 9 p.m. each Saturday and children's activities.

Featured entertainment on the Frenchy's Rockaway Grill Stage includes:

• Friday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. — Stereo FM
• Saturday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. — Soul Circus Cowboys
• Sunday, April 17, 6 p.m. — Tim Charron
• Friday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. — The Black Honkeys
• Saturday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. — TL Jentgens
• Sunday, April 24, 6 p.m. — Stormbringer

Featured entertainment at the Hooters Hangout includes:

• Friday, April 15, 3 to 7 p.m. — Ryan Pope
• Saturday, April 16, noon to 4 p.m. — Chris Flowers
• Saturday, April 16, 4:30 to 7 p.m. — Danny Rodriguez
• Sunday, April 17, 1 to 5 p.m. — Richie Hume
• Friday, April 22, 3 to 7 p.m. — Infinite Tilt
• Saturday, April 23, noon to 4 p.m. — Zack Bliss 1
• Saturday, April 23, 4:30 to 7 p.m. — Jacob Davies
• Sunday, April 24, 1 to 5:30 p.m. — Chandler Nelms

Parking

Parking along Clearwater Beach is limited. Festival goers are encouraged to use the free PSTA Park & Ride trolley service to get to and from Clearwater Beach.

Park downtown for free any day of the week at the Old City Hall parking lot, 112 S. Osceola Ave., Clearwater, and on Saturdays and Sundays (peak festival days) at the Pinellas County Garage, 310 Court St., the 450 Oak Ave. parking lot and the 311 S. Osceola Ave. parking lot. Then, hop on board the Jolley Trolley to get to and from the beach. For park-and-ride details, click here.

New this year, visitors with mobility challenges can use two new motorized sand wheelchairs, available on a first-come first-serve basis.

Tickets

General admission tickets are $12. Children age 3 years and younger are admitted for free. And military personnel, police officers, firefighters, teachers and health care workers can purchase discounted tickets for $10 on site on Frontline Fridays.

Baystar VIP lounge tickets are $70. The VIP lounge is open Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10:30 p.m. and Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m. The VIP lounge will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 17.

VIP lounge tickets include:

• Fast lane entrance and ticket admission to the Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit
• A complimentary souvenir photo
• Admission to the Baystar VIP lounge
• Three beer, wine or seltzer beverages
• Two soda or bottled water beverages
• A charcuterie
• Access to air-conditioned VIP restrooms
• A swag bag with an insulated cooler tote, festival theme T-shirt and souvenir towel

Click here for tickets.

For patrons’ safety, this year’s festival will be 100 percent cashless and contactless. Accepted forms of payment include all major credit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay.