There’s nothing like cool sand between your toes on a hot day in Virginia Beach—except for the awe of beholding the massive sand sculptures at the annual Neptune Festival. The International Sandsculpting Championship is part of the celebrated Boardwalk Weekend, Sept. 27–29, which embraces the area’s beachfront with surfing, beach yoga, dog diving, and boardwalk vendors.
The sand sculpture gallery is a crowd favorite that remains open until Oct. 6. Intricate portraiture, architecturally expert towers, and fantastical fairytale scenes come to life thanks to 32 sculptors from 12 countries, competing solo and in teams of two—solo competitors get 15 pounds of sand to utilize and duos get 22. In 30 hours over four days, they create masterpieces in sand, with $58,000 in prizes distributed to winners in several categories. “It is truly incredible to see the level of detail and thoughtfulness,” says Christopher “Kit” Chope, president and CEO of the festival. NeptuneFestival.com
Sand sculptures from the International Sandsculpting Championship 2023.
This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue.
