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About the event
The American Institute of Architects and La Izquierda Fest partner to enrich the annual AIA Sandcastle Competition with music, vendors, and family-friendly activities at East Beach.
Competing teams have their eyes and shovels set on winning the prestigious Gold Bucket Award. Firms begin months in advance, generating ideas, developing designs, and assigning duties. On the day of the event, the teams – stretched along the beachfront – meticulously sculpt their piles of sand and work non-stop for five hours.
Dates
Sep 19, 2026 · 10:00 AM - Sep 20, 2026 · 10:00 PM(GMT-05:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
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Location
Parking instructions
Complimentary parking is included with each transaction. Enter the parking area directly. Do not stop at a booth.
Health & safety
Free beach wheelchairs are available at East Beach on a first come first serve basis and cannot be reserved. They glide through the sand with ease and float in the water, but they are not self-propelled and therefore require assistance to push the wheelchair.
How to get: Please let the gate attendant know you would like a beach wheelchair and meet a staff member on the east side of the pavilion.
Tickets
Price: $10.00-100.00 + Applicable Fees and Taxes
Saturday Single-Day Ticket
$26.90
Includes Base Price: $25.00, Processing fees: $1.90
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
Saturday Kids Single-Day Ticket
$10.96
Includes Base Price: $10.00, Processing fees: $0.96
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
Sunday Single-Day Pass
$26.90
Includes Base Price: $25.00, Processing fees: $1.90
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
Sunday Kids Single-Day Ticket
$10.96
Includes Base Price: $10.00, Processing fees: $0.96
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
Weekend Pass (Online Only)
$42.84
Includes Base Price: $40.00, Processing fees: $2.84
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
Kids Weekend Pass (Online Only)
$16.27
Includes Base Price: $15.00, Processing fees: $1.27
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
VIP Ticket
$106.60
Includes Base Price: $100.00, Processing fees: $6.60
NON-REFUNDABLE
Non-Refundable Ticket
This ticket is non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-transferable
after purchase. The delivery of the service is completed upon
receiving this ticket by email.
Choose time slots for the selected tickets to continue
Team Registration
Interested in applying:
5 active applications
Deadline:
Jul 17, 2026
Team Eligibility
- Architect team registration is open to architecture, design, and engineering firms with at least one team member being an AIA Architect, Assoc. AIA Architect, or be an AIA Affiliate Member/Firm.
- Accredited architecture, design, and engineering universities may participate. A maximum of one (1) student team per university is permitted.
- High school architecture classes, clubs, or organizations may participate. A maximum of one (1) team per school is permitted.
- Public, non-architecture or design-related groups may participate. Higher registration fees apply.
- Universities without an accredited architecture, design, and/or engineering program may participate and are considered public teams. A maximum of one (1) team per university is permitted.
- Teams are not restricted in size.
Registration
Team registration is open from April 6th at 9:00 AM CST to July 17th at 5:00 PM CST.
Registration fees:
- Architecture Team: $250
- Architecture University Team: registration fee waived
- General University Team: $250
- High School Team: $150
- General Public Team: $400
Included in registration fees:
- Up to ten (10) Galveston Sandcastle Festival t-shirts/tank tops
- Up to ten (10) participant wristbands
Additional forms are released for teams to provide additional information, including site selection, t-shirt and wristband order, theme-based category, tent rental, and ice order.
All forms may be accessed at www.galvestonsandcastlefestival.com
Site Selection
- Winners of the previous year’s Gold Bucket, AIA College Challenge, and Sustainability Awards will have the first call to select their respective sites in the order listed here.
- Site selections will be decided on a rolling basis in the order in which team registrations are received. Each team will have a maximum of three (3) business days from receipt of the site selection notification via email to select its team site; otherwise, a site will be assigned to the team.
- Non-architect teams will have a designated area separate from architect-comprised teams. Reference the site selection map for available team sites.
- View site selection map here.
Payment Options
If you wish to pay by check, please contact Alex Moreno before submitting the registration form.
alexm@aiahouston.org
713.684.7021
Deadline:
Jul 17, 2026
Team Eligibility
- Architect team registration is open to architecture, design, and engineering firms with at least one team member being an AIA Architect, Assoc. AIA Architect, or be an AIA Affiliate Member/Firm.
- Accredited architecture, design, and engineering universities may participate. A maximum of one (1) student team per university is permitted.
- High school architecture classes, clubs, or organizations may participate. A maximum of one (1) team per school is permitted.
- Public, non-architecture or design-related groups may participate. Higher registration fees apply.
- Universities without an accredited architecture, design, and/or engineering program may participate and are considered public teams. A maximum of one (1) team per university is permitted.
- Teams are not restricted in size.
Registration
Team registration is open from April 6th at 9:00 AM CST to July 17th at 5:00 PM CST.
Registration fees:
- Architecture Team: $250
- Architecture University Team: registration fee waived
- General University Team: $250
- High School Team: $150
- General Public Team: $400
Included in registration fees:
- Up to ten (10) Galveston Sandcastle Festival t-shirts/tank tops
- Up to ten (10) participant wristbands
Additional forms are released for teams to provide additional information, including site selection, t-shirt and wristband order, theme-based category, tent rental, and ice order.
All forms may be accessed at www.galvestonsandcastlefestival.com
Site Selection
- Winners of the previous year’s Gold Bucket, AIA College Challenge, and Sustainability Awards will have the first call to select their respective sites in the order listed here.
- Site selections will be decided on a rolling basis in the order in which team registrations are received. Each team will have a maximum of three (3) business days from receipt of the site selection notification via email to select its team site; otherwise, a site will be assigned to the team.
- Non-architect teams will have a designated area separate from architect-comprised teams. Reference the site selection map for available team sites.
- View site selection map here.
Payment Options
If you wish to pay by check, please contact Alex Moreno before submitting the registration form.
alexm@aiahouston.org
713.684.7021
Deadline:
Jul 17, 2026
Team Eligibility
- Architect team registration is open to architecture, design, and engineering firms with at least one team member being an AIA Architect, Assoc. AIA Architect, or be an AIA Affiliate Member/Firm.
- Accredited architecture, design, and engineering universities may participate. A maximum of one (1) student team per university is permitted.
- High school architecture classes, clubs, or organizations may participate. A maximum of one (1) team per school is permitted.
- Public, non-architecture or design-related groups may participate. Higher registration fees apply.
- Universities without an accredited architecture, design, and/or engineering program may participate and are considered public teams. A maximum of one (1) team per university is permitted.
- Teams are not restricted in size.
Registration
Team registration is open from April 6th at 9:00 AM CST to July 17th at 5:00 PM CST.
Registration fees:
- Architecture Team: $250
- Architecture University Team: registration fee waived
- General University Team: $250
- High School Team: $150
- General Public Team: $400
Included in registration fees:
- Up to ten (10) Galveston Sandcastle Festival t-shirts/tank tops
- Up to ten (10) participant wristbands
Additional forms are released for teams to provide additional information, including site selection, t-shirt and wristband order, theme-based category, tent rental, and ice order.
All forms may be accessed at www.galvestonsandcastlefestival.com
Site Selection
- Winners of the previous year’s Gold Bucket, AIA College Challenge, and Sustainability Awards will have the first call to select their respective sites in the order listed here.
- Site selections will be decided on a rolling basis in the order in which team registrations are received. Each team will have a maximum of three (3) business days from receipt of the site selection notification via email to select its team site; otherwise, a site will be assigned to the team.
- Non-architect teams will have a designated area separate from architect-comprised teams. Reference the site selection map for available team sites.
- View site selection map here.
Payment Options
If you wish to pay by check, please contact Alex Moreno before submitting the registration form.
alexm@aiahouston.org
713.684.7021
Deadline:
Jul 17, 2026
Team Eligibility
- Architect team registration is open to architecture, design, and engineering firms with at least one team member being an AIA Architect, Assoc. AIA Architect, or be an AIA Affiliate Member/Firm.
- Accredited architecture, design, and engineering universities may participate. A maximum of one (1) student team per university is permitted.
- High school architecture classes, clubs, or organizations may participate. A maximum of one (1) team per school is permitted.
- Public, non-architecture or design-related groups may participate. Higher registration fees apply.
- Universities without an accredited architecture, design, and/or engineering program may participate and are considered public teams. A maximum of one (1) team per university is permitted.
- Teams are not restricted in size.
Registration
Team registration is open from April 6th at 9:00 AM CST to July 17th at 5:00 PM CST.
Registration fees:
- Architecture Team: $250
- Architecture University Team: registration fee waived
- General University Team: $250
- High School Team: $150
- General Public Team: $400
Included in registration fees:
- Up to ten (10) Galveston Sandcastle Festival t-shirts/tank tops
- Up to ten (10) participant wristbands
Additional forms are released for teams to provide additional information, including site selection, t-shirt and wristband order, theme-based category, tent rental, and ice order.
All forms may be accessed at www.galvestonsandcastlefestival.com
Site Selection
- Winners of the previous year’s Gold Bucket, AIA College Challenge, and Sustainability Awards will have the first call to select their respective sites in the order listed here.
- Site selections will be decided on a rolling basis in the order in which team registrations are received. Each team will have a maximum of three (3) business days from receipt of the site selection notification via email to select its team site; otherwise, a site will be assigned to the team.
- Non-architect teams will have a designated area separate from architect-comprised teams. Reference the site selection map for available team sites.
- View site selection map here.
Payment Options
If you wish to pay by check, please contact Alex Moreno before submitting the registration form.
alexm@aiahouston.org
713.684.7021
Deadline:
Jul 17, 2026
Team Eligibility
- Architect team registration is open to architecture, design, and engineering firms with at least one team member being an AIA Architect, Assoc. AIA Architect, or be an AIA Affiliate Member/Firm.
- Accredited architecture, design, and engineering universities may participate. A maximum of one (1) student team per university is permitted.
- High school architecture classes, clubs, or organizations may participate. A maximum of one (1) team per school is permitted.
- Public, non-architecture or design-related groups may participate. Higher registration fees apply.
- Universities without an accredited architecture, design, and/or engineering program may participate and are considered public teams. A maximum of one (1) team per university is permitted.
- Teams are not restricted in size.
Registration
Team registration is open from April 6th at 9:00 AM CST to July 17th at 5:00 PM CST.
Registration fees:
- Architecture Team: $250
- Architecture University Team: registration fee waived
- General University Team: $250
- High School Team: $150
- General Public Team: $400
Included in registration fees:
- Up to ten (10) Galveston Sandcastle Festival t-shirts/tank tops
- Up to ten (10) participant wristbands
Additional forms are released for teams to provide additional information, including site selection, t-shirt and wristband order, theme-based category, tent rental, and ice order.
All forms may be accessed at www.galvestonsandcastlefestival.com
Site Selection
- Winners of the previous year’s Gold Bucket, AIA College Challenge, and Sustainability Awards will have the first call to select their respective sites in the order listed here.
- Site selections will be decided on a rolling basis in the order in which team registrations are received. Each team will have a maximum of three (3) business days from receipt of the site selection notification via email to select its team site; otherwise, a site will be assigned to the team.
- Non-architect teams will have a designated area separate from architect-comprised teams. Reference the site selection map for available team sites.
- View site selection map here.
Payment Options
If you wish to pay by check, please contact Alex Moreno before submitting the registration form.
alexm@aiahouston.org
713.684.7021
Terms & Conditions
Inclement weather may cause the event to be rescheduled, postponed, or cancelled. All ticket sales are final. No refunds.
Hosted by AIA Houston
Joined Eventeny in March 2026
1 event
Houston, Texas 
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