One of the premier events of the summer season in the Greater Boston area is set to take place this weekend when the 19th annual International Sand Sculpting Festival returns to Revere Beach this Friday, July 28, through Sunday, July 30.
America’s first public beach will host 15 sand sculptors from around the world who will display their amazing creations as they compete for $28,000 in prizes. The theme for this year’s festival is King Kong, in observance of the 90th anniversary of the epic movie that captivates audiences to this day.
The festival is a free, family-friendly event that is hosted by the Revere Beach Partnership, a non-profit organization, and truly has something for everyone of all ages. The festival will feature vendors, food trucks, and a fireworks extravaganza on Saturday night in addition to the highly-competitive sand sculpture competition.
For entertainment, there will be over 20 acts of street performers, live music, and a special performance from Blue Man Group, in addition to various amusement rides. Vendors will include about 30 food trucks and there will be about 20 emerging small businesses and nonprofits taking part in the Beach Shop Pavillion.
For the first time, the Samuel Adams Beer Garden will offer live music, games, and entertainment from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the fireworks scheduled to go off at 9 p.m. Saturday evening.
With the promise of good weather, it is expected that close to a million visitors will turn out for the festivities. Needless to say, public transportation via the MBTA’s Blue Line — which will be free — is the best way to attend the festival, especially with the Sumner Tunnel closed for repairs. The Revere Beach and Wonderland T stops literally are just minutes away by foot from Revere Beach.
This year’s festival promises to be better than ever — and we urge all of our readers to take advantage of this unique and fun-filled opportunity.
