These guidelines apply to all guests, vendors, sculptors, volunteers, sponsors, and media at Texas SandFest. By entering the festival grounds (including during setup and teardown periods), all attendees agree to follow these rules, which are designed to keep the event safe, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone.

For additional frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ page

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⏱️ At a Glance

• Festival Dates: April 16–18, 2027

  • Hours: 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM daily (Wristband sales and Master's Gallery close at 6:30 PM)

• Pre-Event: Guest Relations, Wristband Sales & Merch: Open Tuesday, April 13 – Thursday, April 15 at the North Gate (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM)

• Pets: Service animals only (ADA-defined); no exceptions

• Coolers & Alcohol: Coolers, ice chests, and outside alcohol are strictly prohibited. Outside food and non-alcoholic beverages (no glass) are permitted

• Drones: Strictly prohibited on the grounds and in the surrounding airspace

• Bicycles & E-Bikes: Not permitted inside the event gates; dedicated racks are available at the entrances

• Parking: A $12/year City of Port Aransas beach parking permit is required for all vehicles and golf carts parked on the beach

• Weather: The event is rain or shine and will not be canceled due to wet or windy weather

• WiFi: Not available on festival grounds

• Getting Around: The festival grounds span approximately 1/2 mile; expect significant walking throughout the day

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Jump links: Getting In |  While You're Here | Need Help 

 

Before You Go

🎟️ Tickets & Pricing

Texas SandFest offers 3-day General Admission wristbands. Single-day GA tickets are not available.

• General Admission

  • Adult: (Ages 13+): $30 (Valid for all 3 days)

  • Youth: (Ages 6–12): $5

  • Children: (5 & under): Free

• VIP Experience (1-Day Only): $250 per person, per day (limited quantity). Includes access to elevated food offerings, full bar service, and complimentary wine & alcohol sampling. Guests enjoy access to the air-conditioned VIP tent with shade and comfortable seating, private, climate-controlled restroom trailers featuring individual bathrooms, and a direct view of the music stage. VIP Parking Pass is not available

• Resale is strictly prohibited.

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💳 Payment Methods: Major credit cards and digital payments are accepted at all entrance gates, all beer tents, and all official merchandise tents. Cash is also welcome. Processing fees may apply to card transactions and online purchases. Wristbands are non-refundable and non-transferable. Buy only through official Texas SandFest / Eventeny channels. Full details: General Admission or VIP Experience.

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🚗 Parking & Transportation

Texas SandFest is located directly on the beach between Markers 13 and 17. The North Gate is at Marker 13; the South Gate is at Marker 17. Full details: Parking & Shuttles page.

City Beach Parking Permits The festival does not charge a separate parking fee, but the City of Port Aransas requires a $12 beach parking permit (valid for the calendar year) for any vehicle or golf cart parked on the sand. Permits can be purchased locally at The Texan, Stripes Convenience Stores, Lowes Market, and the Tourism Bureau & Chamber Welcome Center.

On-the-Beach Parking Lots

• General SandFest Lot: Located at the North end of the event grounds. Enter near Marker 0; exit about Marker 11 (Avenue G). No RVs, trailers, or oversized vehicles.

• Accessible Parking: Located near the North entrance (Marker 11.5 to 12.5). Requires a valid state-issued accessible placard/plate or Disabled Veteran plate, plus the standard beach parking permit. Available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• VIP Parking: Located near the South entrance (Marker 17.5 to 19). Requires an official SandFest VIP parking placard and a beach parking permit. No RVs, trailers, or oversized vehicles.

Off-Site Parking & Free Shuttles

• Park & Ride: (CCRTA Bus): Runs Friday–Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Direct service from Roberts Point Park and Port Aransas Community Park to the South Entrance. The last pickup is at 8:00 PM sharp.

• Gracie's Way Lot: Free parking in a grass field with a complimentary golf cart shuttle to the South Entrance (Friday–Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM). All charter, tour, and school bus parking is located here. Park at your own risk; no overnight parking allowed.

• Golf Cart Shuttles: Moving carts operate daily from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, dropping off within a few hundred feet of the gates. Priority seating is given to elderly guests, families with small children, and individuals with injuries or disabilities.

Traffic Regulations

• One-Way Flow: Beach traffic is restricted to southbound only from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM (Friday–Sunday) between Avenue G and Access Road 1A. This rule applies to all traffic, including personal and rental golf carts.

• Best Route: Use Avenue G to access beach parking lots. SandFest parking is not accessible via Sandcastle Drive, Access Road 1, 1A, or 1B.

• Sandcastle Drive Closure: Sandcastle Drive is closed to through traffic for the duration of the event.

• RVs & Oversized Vehicles: Not allowed inside any official festival beach lots. Perpendicular RV parking (maximum 3 nights) is permitted south of Marker 19 per city regulations. No RV/trailer parking is allowed between Avenue G and Marker 19 during the week of the event..

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♿ Accessibility

• Restrooms: Accessible portable toilets are located at the North Gate, the South Gate, and near the main music stage. Family restrooms equipped with baby-changing stations are located near Tribute Mountain (North) and west of the Kids' Corner (South).

• Mobility Devices: Motorized scooters, wheelchairs, and strollers are welcome. Because standard wheels sink easily into loose sand, beach wheels are highly recommended.

• Free Beach Wheelchair Loaner: Available at the Guest Relations Tent (North Gate near Marker 12.5) for up to 1 hour and 45 minutes per session. Requirements: A signed usage agreement, a $20 refundable cash deposit, and a valid driver's license held as collateral. Capacity: 250 lbs maximum. First-come, first-served.

• Shade & Relief: Covered seating areas are located at the main beer tent, the music tent, Logo Mountain (North), and Kids' Corner (South). Except for the private VIP tent, festival spaces are outdoors.

For specific inquiries, contact info@texassandfest.org

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🐾 Pet Policy: Service Animals Only

Texas SandFest is a Service-Animals-Only event. Only service animals as explicitly defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are permitted inside the festival boundaries.

• What Qualifies: A dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to do work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

• What Does Not Qualify: Emotional support animals (ESA), therapy animals, comfort pets, and companion animals do not qualify under the ADA and are not permitted.

• Handler Rules: Service animals must remain under control (tethered, harnessed, or leashed) at all times unless the device interferes with the animal's work. Owners are legally responsible for waste cleanup and any damages.

Pets are always welcome on the public beach spaces outside the official festival grounds. More Information: ADA.gov.

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🎒 What to Pack

• ☀️ Sunscreen (SPF 30+), hats, and sunglasses

• 👟 Comfortable footwear broken in for walking on hot sand

• 🪑 Folding lawn chairs (must be placed so they do not obstruct walkways)

• 💵 Cash (for specific independent vendors; ATMs are available on-site)

• 🔋 Portable phone chargers and battery banks

• 🛒 Small pull-wagons or tote bags for food and gear​

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Jump links: Before You Go |  While You're Here | Need Help

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Getting In

 

🚪 Rules & Gates

Early Bird Will Call, Wristbands & Merchandise
Avoid the weekend lines! Guests can purchase wristbands and official merchandise, or pick up online ticket orders early, at the North Gate footprint:

• When: Tuesday, April 13 – Thursday, April 15, 2027

• Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily

• Location: Guest Relations Tent & Official Merch Tent (North Gate only)

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Festival Days Entry

• Will Call Locations: During the main event (Friday–Sunday), Will Call pickup is available at both the North and South entrance gates.

• Wristband Re-Entry: Your wristband acts as your multi-day pass. It must be worn securely on your wrist for re-entry. If a wristband is accidentally detached, bring the damaged band to either gate manager for a replacement. Lost or stolen wristbands will not be refunded or replaced.

• Admissions Timing: Ticket booths close promptly at 6:30 PM daily. Gates remain open until 7:30 PM for existing wristband holders.

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🚫 Prohibited Items

To guarantee a safe environment, the following items are banned from the festival grounds and are subject to confiscation during mandatory bag checks:

• Coolers and ice chests of any size or type.

• Outside alcohol. (Per TABC regulations, outside alcohol cannot be brought in, and no guest may leave the event grounds with alcohol or beer purchased inside).

• Pop-up tents, canopies, beach umbrellas, or personal shade structures.

• Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

• Personal golf carts, bicycles, skateboards, and e-bikes inside the event.

• Glass containers of any kind.

• Laser pointers or high-powered, non-standard lights.

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Jump links: Before You Go | Getting In | Need Help

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While You're Here

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🎭 Schedule & Entertainment

For the latest information on festival happenings, visit:

• Daily Schedule

• Live Music & Entertainment

• Kids' Corner

 

✨ Don't Miss

• Quick Carve Competitions: Watch sculptors race the clock at the Music Stage, with multiple rounds throughout each day.

• Sand Sculpture Demonstrations: Live demos near the North Gate Beer Tent, plus celebrity demonstrations by Amazin' Walter.

• Lesson Mountain: Kids ages 6-12 can try sand sculpting themselves with short, hands-on lessons.

• Kids' Corner: Face painting, games, hula hooping, and more for the young (and young at heart).

• Live Music: Performances on the Music Stage throughout the weekend.

• Photo Ops: Photo opportunities are available throughout the grounds. Bring your camera or phone! 

• Shopping & Fair Food: Browse one-of-a-kind beachy souvenirs, jewelry, and apparel from local vendors, and grab festival favorites like funnel cakes, corn dogs, and slushies.

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🌊 Code of Conduct

Texas SandFest is a family-friendly community event. The festival grounds are actively monitored by uniformed security personnel and security cameras. Guests engaging in fighting, harassment, lewd behavior, public intoxication, or other disruptive conduct will be removed without refund. Festival staff reserves the right to cut and confiscate the entry wristband.

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🚭 Smoking & Vaping Policy

Smoking: (including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and cannabis) and vaping/e-cigarettes are strictly prohibited inside the festival gates.

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🍺 Beverage System & Tickets

• Age Verification: Valid government-issued photo ID required for alcohol (wristbands do not prove age).

• Ticket System: All drinks require official SandFest tickets. Beer: $8 | Non-Alcoholic: $2.

• Payment & ATMs: Cards accepted; cash welcome. ATMs are located outside the North & South gates and near the main beer tent.

• Beverage Tickets are: non-refundable, non-replaceable, and expire at the end of the festival.

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📸 Media, Photography & Video Consent

By entering the event premises (including setup and teardown), you consent to photography, filming, and audio recording. You grant Texas SandFest irrevocable rights to use your likeness worldwide and in perpetuity without compensation. Questions? Contact info@texassandfest.org.

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🌱 Sustainability & Beach Stewardship

Texas SandFest is committed to keeping Port Aransas beaches better than we found them and protecting our environment, with recycling initiatives throughout the event.
Partners: We're proud to partner with Keep Port Aransas Beautiful, Pitch in Port Aransas, the Mills Family, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures, and CORE Projects Energy on our sustainability initiatives.
Results: Keep Port Aransas Beautiful provided water stations and reusable water bottles for volunteers and sculptors, keeping over 2,000 bottles out of the waste stream, and recycled over 20,500 aluminum cans and 1,700 pounds of cardboard. Pitch in Port Aransas recycled over 4,000 plastic bottles and containers.
Guest Role: Please use trash and recycling bins throughout the grounds and leave the beach better than you found it. No digging outside designated play areas.

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🚷 No Unauthorized Solicitation

Selling, promoting, or distributing any goods or services without prior written approval from Texas SandFest is prohibited.
 

Jump links: Before You Go | Getting In |  While You're Here

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Need Help

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🔍 Lost & Found / Missing Children 

Location: Guest Relations Tent, next to the North Gate entrance. (Available from Tuesday before the event through the last day of the event (Hours 9 AM - 6 PM))
Separated Children: Notify the nearestvolunteer or go to Guest Relations. Recommend writing a parent's phone number on your child's wristband.

Lost & Found

• During the Event: If you lose or find an item during the event, visit the Guest Relations Tent. Staff will log found items and help match found items them with owners.

• After the Event: Contact info@texassandfest.org within 7 days with a description of the item, when/where you think it was lost, your contact information, and photos if available. We'll make reasonable efforts to identify and match items.

• Unclaimed Items: Held for 7 days after the event closes, then donated or discarded. Texas SandFest is not liable for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

  • Getting It Back: If found, items may be mailed back (U.S. addresses only) for a fee covering packing and shipping, or arranged for local pickup by appointment when feasible.

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🆘 First Aid & Medical Emergencies

Professional medical teams and security personnel are on-site. For minor issues, visit the First Aid Tent located centrally across from the VIP Tent. In case of emergency, dial 911 or alert any volunteer.

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📞 Day-of Contact

For non-emergency questions during the event, look for any staff member in a yellow vest or visit the Guest Relations Tent at the North Gate. For questions before or after the event, contact info@texassandfest.org.

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All guidelines, scheduling, policies, and pricing structures detailed on this page are subject to change without prior notice. Please check back for the most current version before attending the event.