More than 500,000 Visitors Expected for Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival

With beautiful summer weather in the forecast for this weekend, organizers of the International Sands Sculpting Festival expect between 500,000-750,000 visitors to the event that is held on Revere Beach.

The event has become the foremost sand sculpting festival in the United States under the direction of the Revere Beach Partnership, which is led by President Rosette Cataldo.

More than one million visitors attended the 2019 festival before last year’s event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairperson John Hamel said the festival is the marquee event of the Revere Beach Partnership.

“The event has grown incredibly over the years,” said Hamel, who has chaired the event since 2013. “We’re extremely proud of it. The theme of this year’s festival is the 125^th birthday of Revere Beach.”

Though the event will be scaled back a bit this year, visitors will be able to view seven, spectacular sand sculptures along the beach.

Hamel said the hours of the festival are Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There will be a fireworks exhibition Saturday at 9 p.m.

Hamel grew up in the Sargent Street neighborhood and attended the Whelan School and St. Dominic Savio High School where he was the Class of 1990 valedictorian. He is a graduate of Harvard College.

“My involvement in the festival is a way of giving back to the community that I’ve been proud to have grown up in, and I couldn’t be prouder of Revere,” said Hamel. “We’re trying to bring as many people as possible to the beach during this event.”

State Rep. Jeff Turco, who served as president of the Revere Beach Partnership for three years, said he and his family will be attending the annual festival.

“We’re very excited that the festival is once again coming back to the Revere Beach,” said Turco. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase America’s first public beach, particularly so during the 125^th birthday of the creation of Revere Beach. We can showcase the beach, but also all that the City of Revere has to offer.”

Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe echoed that sentiment. “The International Sandcastle Festival has long been a way to showcase not only our wonderful beach, but the City of Revere,” said Keefe. “Like many gatherings and special events, we lost out on this spectacle last year. I’m very excited to see its return, even with a smaller format. I know this weekend’s event will be very successful. The Revere Beach Partnership is an organization that truly acts as stewards for the country’s oldest public beach. I can’t wait to see everyone’s excitement in what the sculptors have in store for us this year.”