Sugar Sand Festival 2016: What To Know Before You Go

CLEARWATER, FL – Clearwater Beach once again will be transformed into a museum, thanks to the people who will sculpt works of arts out of 1,000 tons of white sugar sand.

Part of Sun ‘n Fun Clearwater, the Bright House Networks Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival features live music and other entertainment throughout the 10-day event along with the sand sculpting exhibitions. Last year’s Sugar Sand Festival drew 30,000 visitors to the sand sculpture exhibit while more than 100,000 people took advantage of the festival’s free events.

Here’s what area residents need to know before you go to the 2016 Sugar Sand Festival:

Dates and Times

The 2016 Sugar Sand Festival runs from Friday, April 15 to Sunday, April 24. The hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. all days except for April 24 (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.).

Location and Parking

The event takes place along the beach near Pier 60 at 1 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater. The closest parking to the event is the Pier 60 parking lot and the Clearwater Marina parking lot. There are parking garages at the Hyatt Regency and Surf Style, along with metered spots along the streets. Click here for a map of parking lots around the event.

There is also a ferry service that goes between downtown Clearwater and the Clearwater Marina.

Tickets

Admission to the sculpture exhibit is $10 for adults, $5 for students ages 6 to 17, and $7 for people 55 and older, military personnel, police officers, firefighters and teachers with proper identification. Children 5 years and younger receive free admission with the purchase of an adult ticket. Adult and senior tickets include a complimentary souvenir photo.

All other events at the Sugar Sand Festival are free.

Sand Sculpture Exhibit

Ten world-class sculptors have created works of art under a 21,000-square-foot tent using only Clearwater Beach’s sand and water, plus baking utensils, dentist’s tools and brushes. This year’s theme is “All Out Music,” taking patrons through a musical journey of the country’s greatest music legends and hits.

Team Sandtastic, the host team based out of Sarasota, will participate in crafting the main exhibit and teaching free sand-sculpting workshops.

Sculpting Competitions

Along with the exhibition sculptures, all of the sculptors will participate in the Master Sand Sculpting Competition. Each participant can sculpt a piece not related to the exhibit theme, which gives the public a chance to watch these creations being made in front of their eyes.

This will be the second year the Sugar Sand Festival will run the “Your Change Helps Make Change” donation campaign along with the Master Sand Sculpting Competition. Visitors are asked to vote for their favorite competition sculpture with their spare change. The piece that raises the most money will win a $5,000 grand prize.

Last year’s donations, totaling $2,200, were given to Sandy Lane Elementary School in Clearwater to purchase books and technology.

There will also be four Speed Sand Demonstrations, which are 10-minute sand-sculpting competitions. The pros will compete against each other in a free, fast-paced, interactive shows at these times:

• Saturday, April 16 at 5 p.m.
• Sunday, April 17 at 5 p.m.
• Saturday, April 23 at 4 p.m.
• Sunday, April 24 at 4 p.m.

Concerts

The free concert schedule for the 2016 Sugar Sand Festival is:

• Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.: Mystik NRG (reggae and soca)
• Saturday, April 16 at 7 p.m.: Black Honkeys (R&B, soul, rock ‘n’ roll)
• Sunday, April 17 at 7 p.m.: Ajeva (high-energy funk)
• Friday, April 22 at 7 p.m.: Bus Stop Band (Motown, R&B, pop)
• Saturday, April 23 at 7 p.m.: Pirate Flag (Kenny Chesney tribute band)
• Sunday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m.: Orquesta Infinidad (salsa, merengue, Latin jazz merengue, Latin jazz)

Sunset Cinema

The Sugar Sand Festival will host Movies in the Park during four nights of the event. Blankets and low-lying lawn chairs are welcome and popcorn and concessions are available on-site. All movies start at dusk:

• Friday, April 15: School of Rock (PG-13)
• Saturday, April 16: Dreamgirls (PG-13)
• Friday, April 22: Perfect Pitch 2 (PG-13)
• Saturday, April 23: Grease (PG)

Fireworks

There will be fireworks displays on three nights of the Sugar Sand Festival:

Saturday, April 16 at 9 p.m.: Bright House Blast Fireworks

Saturday, April 23 at 9 p.m.: Bright House Blast Fireworks

Sunday, April 24 at 9 p.m.: Fun n’ Sun Fireworks Finale

For more information about the 2016 Sugar Sand Festival, call (727) 449-1036, visit sugarsandfestival.com or the festival’s Facebook page at facebook.com/pier60sugarsandfestival.

Image courtesy of City of Clearwater

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