The fourth annual Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival, presented by Fox Communities Credit Union, returns to Manitowoc’s Red Arrow Park and Beach July 18-19, 2026. This two-day event, which attracts thousands to Manitowoc, features a weekend-long semi-pro sand sculpting competition, plus an amateur competition, vendor booths, an entertainment tent with DJ, live musical performances and S.S. Badger “Badger Bingo,” food trucks and so much more.
The event opens Saturday at 10 a.m. Nine semi-pro sand sculptors will have already begun sculpting their multi-ton masterpieces. Throughout the weekend, festival attendees can watch the action and chat with the competing sand sculptors. On Sunday, visitors can even join the judging fun by casting their vote for People’s Choice. Also at 10 a.m. Saturday, the 2026 Amateur Sand Sculpting State Championships kicks off. This competition is open to both individuals and teams. Registration is still open, but limited sand plots remain. In addition to the sand sculpting events, there will be live performances, food trucks, Knights of Columbus selling brats and burgers, beverages, and vendor booths each day.
This is the first large scale event to take place at Red Arrow Park and Beach since it opened to the public earlier this month following the completion of the majority of the City’s beach access and improvement project. Event attendees can experience better accessibility to see sculptures on the beach via fully accessible, concrete pathways from the new and improved parking area. A new stone seating area in the hill offers a bird’s eye view of the sculptures below. Other improvements include safer parking and pedestrian access. Finishing touches from this project’s initial phase will be installed within the park and beach area in the coming weeks.
This event is free to the public. Generous sponsors offset the costs of putting on the event. Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary, an event organizing partner, will be accepting donations to fund their charitable community efforts.
For the full event schedule and additional details, including amateur competition and volunteer sign up, go to www.visitmanitowoc.com/wssf.
Visit Manitowoc and Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary organize the Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival with LL Endeavors LLC and many sponsors and partners including Fox Communities Credit Union, the West Foundation, Holiday Inn Manitowoc, Eck Industries, Festival Foods, Hockers Home Services, Lakeshore College, Krajnek Law Firm, Woznick Family, Friends of Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary, Paul Roekle, Bank First, KLorraine Salon Spa and Boutique, Associated Bank, Hawkins Ash CPAs, Vinton Construction, Seehafer News, Knights of Columbus, Just Orthodontics, Manitowoc Trophy, Pozorski Hauling and Recycling, and various City of Manitowoc departments.