The season of sand and surf is back, and in Parksville, that means one thing: Beachfest!
The 5 1/2-week summer extravaganza combines family-friendly outdoor activities with music, the arts, and more, July 14 to Aug. 20.
The star of the show – the Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition – returns July 14 to 16.
Inspired by this year’s theme “Wonders of the World,” sculptors will prepare their sculpting bases on July 13, with the competition opening to the public July 14 at 2 p.m. – your opportunity to see the architecture and creativity emerge from the sand!
The official opening is at 2 p.m., Friday, July 14, with the ribbon-cutting just outside the sculpting exhibition gates.
For those who’d like to try their own hand at sculpting, learn from the best at the Parksville Canadian Tire Sculpting Lessons and Demonstrations, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 15 and 16. Two professional sculptors will teach participants how to create a ‘proper’ sand sculpture from scratch. All ages welcome!
Can’t make it that first weekend? The Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition keeps the masterworks on display from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. July 17 to Aug. 20 – don’t forget to vote for your favourite sculpture! Admission is by suggested donation of $5 per person, with much of that going back into the local community.
And the sand sculpting activities are just the start of the festivities. Over the following weeks, visitors can enjoy the work of local artists and artisans, buskers, family activities and LOTS of music!
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Here’s a look at what’s planned:
- July 17 to Aug. 20 – Party City Buskers, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. daily. Enjoy a diverse cross-section of Vancouver Island musicians daily at the Boardwalk Gazebo adjacent to the sand sculpting exhibition.
- July 21, 22, 28 & 29; Aug. 4, 5, 18 & 19 – Tim Hortons Free Summer Concert Series, Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Take in the popular free music series at the Parksville Outdoor Theatre, brand new last year.
- July 22 & 23 – Art in the Park, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, in the gardens around the tennis courts. Artists and artisans will feature paintings, sculptures, jewellery, pottery, photography, art cards, children’s clothing, art glass and more.
- Aug. 11 to 13 – The Mid-Island Co-op ‘Rock the Park’ Music Festival features world-class tribute bands and performances by perennial favourites! Click here for the full lineup and to purchase tickets.
Aug. 18 & 19 – Coastal Community Credit Union Sculpture Light Up. Experience the Sand Sculpture Exhibition in a whole new way – illuminated after dark, and open until 11 p.m.
- Aug. 20 – Beachfest’s grand finale is the first-ever REALTORS at RE/MAX Parksville-Qualicum “Symphony by the Sea” featuring the Vancouver Island Symphony. Purchase tickets here.
Additional festivities planned alongside Beachfest include the Quality Foods Festival of Lights Aug. 12, with fireworks simulcast to music on 88.5FM The Beach, and on Aug. 13, the Quality Foods Children’s Sandcastle Competition. Register on the beach between 8 and 9:45 a.m., then start building at 10 a.m. sharp. The event is free and the No. 1 rule is “all teams must have fun.” Building wraps up at 11:30 a.m., with prizes awarded after judging.
Plan your Beachfest experience today at parksvillebeachfest.ca