Weston-super-Mare Sand Sculpture Festival

About Us

UPDATE MARCH 2020: BUILD AND OPENING OF SAND SCULPTURES POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

 

The resort of Weston-super-Mare is a hugely popular tourist destination, drawing over 5 million visitors annually from all over the UK to it’s miles of sandy beaches and attractions such as the the newly renovated Grand Pier, the world’s largest Helicopter Museum, the Weston Wheel. For the past years, this seaside resort has also been building a reputation for one of the most unique summer festivals anywhere in the UK – the “Weston-super-Mare Sand Sculpture Festival”.

Since 2006, the festival has grown from a single sculpture to a hugely anticipated international event, earning Weston the title of “Sand Sculpting Capital” of the UK.

In that time the festival has entertained, excited and inspired over 500,000 visitors and this year will be no exception with the addition of special events, activities and opportunities for visitors to get involved and create their very own works of sand art.

2020 Sand Sculpture Festival

We are happy to announce that The Weston Sand Sculpture Festival will be returning to celebrate its 15th anniversary on Weston seafront in 2020. What began as a single sculpture in 2006 has now become a much-loved exhibition showcasing the work of award –winning, international artists, gaining global, critical acclaim.

The event, which ranks on Trip Advisor as Weston’s Number One attraction has survived and overcome numerous hurdles over the last decade, including The beast from the East, vandalism (remember the Queen’s beheading in 2012) and some of the highest tides Weston has ever seen.

Over the past 15 years we have seen the beloved event display themes including: Under the Sea (2009), The Jungle (2011) and Hollywood (2013). After Banksy shook up the town in 2015 with his “Bemusement Park”, the Weston Sand Sculpture Festival followed suit with more conceptual and challenging themes such as Topsy Turvy (2017) and last years political and environmental stir: What If? which addressed issues such as Climate Change and Brexit.

This year, for it’s 15 year celebration the team will be soaring to new heights with it’s aptly named theme: ABOVE AND BEYOND. The subject matter will celebrate historical achievements, space travel and un-sung heroes that all go above and beyond.

Co-organiser and sculptor Nicola Wood explains “This year we want to pay tribute to some of the most positive achievements and people that we have ever seen. We want to fly the flag for the grafters and the groundbreakers that make a difference. To those that go above and beyond…we salute you.”

Alec Messheart, also co organiser of the festival adds “Without a team that is willing to go above and beyond, The Weston Sand Sculpture Festival would not be here. We fight for our place on Weston seafront ever year because of the encouragement and enthusiasm we receive from visitors, schools and local businesses. Team Orange constantly goes above and beyond to keep us here and for that reason alone, the theme is perfect for our big anniversary. Go big or go home”

2020 will welcome twenty of the world’s most talented sand sculptors onto the beach. They will go head-to-head in a sand sculpting championships and offer plenty of activities to get you involved and inspired. Watch this space for a “twist-in-the-tale” as the organisers have hinted at a very special event to get you all involved for an exclusive sand sculpture challenge!

The event opens earlier this year, in time for the school break. Instead of the usual Good Friday opening, you will be able to see the artworks from Saturday 4th April 2020.

See you at the beach!

Open daily from 10AM - 6PM (Last admission 5:30PM)

Ticket Prices:

Adults: £ 4
Children (13 and below): £ 3 (under 3’s free)
Family Offer (2 adults, 2 children): £ 10.00
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Information from
https://www.facebook.com/pg/WestonSandSculptureFestival/about/?ref=page_internal