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Clearwater’s Sugar Sand Festival Returns with 1,000 Tons of Sand Art

Master sand artists will transform Clearwater’s pristine beach sand into massive prehistoric displays at Pier 60’s Sugar Sand Festival. The event runs April 11-27, bringing life-sized dinosaurs to the shoreline. “We’re…

Master sand artists will transform Clearwater's pristine beach sand into massive prehistoric displays at Pier 60's Sugar Sand Festival. The event runs April 11-27, bringing life-sized dinosaurs to the shoreline.

"We're working with 1,000 tons of your beautiful beach sand here," said sand sculptor Karen Fralich to Fox 13 News.

The festival marks its 11th year with "DinoShores" inside a sprawling 24,000-square-foot tent. Visitors will see sand come alive through cutting-edge tech as projections dance across the sculptures in the expanded space.

The beach shows no signs of the destruction from last fall's storms. "The back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton, were devastating to Clearwater Beach," said Lisa Chandler, the festival's founder to Fox 13 News.

Adult tickets cost $14, with free entry for kids under three. Special rates apply for service members. Military, police, firefighters, teachers, and healthcare workers pay just $10 on Fridays through April 12. Seniors get $12 tickets on Tuesdays until April 9.

Eight nights of music fill the air with free beach concerts and fireworks. Want to try your hand at sand art? Join the hands-on sculpting classes. VIP packages at $70 include dinner, drinks, a shirt, and prime concert spots.

Fralich, back for her tenth festival, praised the local sand: "Here in Clearwater, you have beautiful sand. It's very, very fine, powdery and fluffy, and when you add water to it, it packs really, really easily, and you can carve it."

Gates will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Weekend hours stretch until 10 p.m. Skip the parking hassle; catch the free Jolley Trolley from downtown to the beach.

Pack light but smart: cameras, blankets, and low beach chairs are welcome. Leave pets, glass, tents, and weapons at home. After the final sculpture falls, the sand returns to its natural home on the beach.