Every November, a chunk of Siesta Beach turns into something you wouldn't expect from a beach at all — massive, detailed sand sculptures built by people who fly in from around the world just to do this. It's been happening since 2010, and if you've never seen sand sculpted like actual sculpture instead of a lopsided castle, it's worth planning a trip around.
When it happens
The 2026 dates are Friday, November 13 through Monday, November 16. It runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days, with the sculptures lit up under colored lights Saturday night until 9 p.m. — worth staying for if you're there that day, since seeing the same piece under lights afterward feels like a different thing entirely.
What it actually costs
Single-day general admission runs around $20 for adults at the gate, less for seniors, military, and kids, with a small discount if you buy online ahead of time. The vendor area with food, drinks, and shopping is open to the public without needing a ticket — the ticket is specifically for the sculpture viewing area.
Getting there without the parking headache
This is one weekend where the usual Siesta Beach parking problem gets even worse — tens of thousands of people show up over the four days. The free trolley is a genuinely good call this particular weekend, more than almost any other time of year.
If you're building a trip around it, pair this with our best times to visit guide — November sits right at the edge of high season, so the regular beach crowd and the festival crowd tend to overlap.
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