Things To Do at Texas SandFest

You’ve probably never dreamed that one day you’d be headed to the Port Aransas beach to see people carve majestic works of art right in front of your eyes out of small grains of sand. With towering sculptures ahead of you, you’ll also fall in love with crowd favorite food stands, drinks, and one-of-a-kind souvenirs to buy on the beach.

The Texas SandFest in Port Aransas, the only festival on the beach in Port Aransas, also offers lots of great attractions to fill your day of fun in the sun and sand. You can take a crack at learning how to build your own sandcastles, enjoy many kid-friendly activities, and dance your worries away on the sand as the line-up of great musical acts awaits.

Plan your day and weekend to make the most of your time in Port Aransas, the True Texas Coast!

Before the Festival

During the Festival

A pile of sand with various buckets and towers lying around.

Lesson Mountain

Give kiddos a chance to hone their skills with a real sand sculptor! Live lessons will take place daily for children ages 6 to 12. Lessons will be at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Short, ten-minute lessons followed by hands-on practice.

Two women stand in front of a barrel and carve into a block of sand.

Quick Carve

Carve a sculpture in ten minutes? These sculptors are up to the challenge! In this competition, two barrels are topped with five gallons of sand. The MC pulls a subject out of a hat and the race is on! Crowd chooses a winner by applause.

A man in a hat, coat, and striped shirt holds up a bongo and a thumbs up and smiles at the camera. He's standing in front of a row of colorful dresses on mannequins.

Shopping Galore

Vendors at Texas SandFest offer up one-of-a-kind beachy souvenirs! Ladies can have their pick of coastal cover-ups or handmade jewelry, while the guys can choose from a selection of fishing gear, high-quality flip flops, and much more!

A group of men pour themselves drinks in a silver stein from a fair stand on the beach.

Fair Foods

All of your favorite fair foods can be found at Texas SandFest, from funnel cakes to corn dogs, lemonades to slushies! For those looking for an adult beverage, beer garden tents will be open every day!

A little girl with blond pigtails and a butterfly-painted face smiles into the camera

Kids' Corner

Between games, free face painting all weekend, hula hooping, and more, the Kids' Corner at SandFest has something for the young and the young at heart!

A man carries his toddler daughter on his shoulders and they pose atop a large sand mountain carved with an eagle

Photo Ops

Donations accepted for a photo op on top of tribute mountain. Plus, three other photo opportunities located throughout the grounds!

Fun Features