Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition (Beachfest)

The Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition is the crown jewel of the Parksville Beach Festival, one of Vancouver Island's best-loved summer traditions. Each July, master sand sculptors from around the world gather at Parksville Community Park for the Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition, transforming tonnes of local sand into enormous, astonishingly detailed works of art. Once the carving is done, the finished sculptures remain on display for weeks, so visitors can stroll the beachfront gallery and marvel at them up close long after the competition wraps. Each year brings a fresh theme to spark the artists' imaginations — for 2026 it is Beauties and Beasts.

The exhibition runs daily from mid-July through mid-August on the sweeping sands of Parksville's Community Park, right beside the famously warm, shallow waters that make the Parksville-Qualicum area such a family favourite. Around the sculptures the festival grounds come alive with a licensed garden, food vendors, an artisan marketplace and live entertainment, making it easy to turn a visit into a full beach day. It is an ideal, low-key outing for all ages: see the art, build your own castle on the sand, cool off in the ocean, and grab an ice cream on the boardwalk. If you are exploring the Oceanside region — Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Coombs — the sand sculptures are a must-see anchor for a summer day. Bring sun protection and a camera; these are some of the most photographed sculptures in the country.