Sandy Feet Sand Castle Services: Galveston — Local services in Galveston

I was excited to attend the Sandcastle Festival 2025 in Galveston, but honestly the experience left me with mixed feelings. The sandcastles themselves were very beautiful—there was clear artistry, attention to detail, and creativity in the designs. You could tell the builders put real effort into their work, and it was fun to see the unique styles and themes represented. However, there were only about 15 sandcastles in total, which made the entire exhibit feel more like a small showcase than a large festival.

In terms of food and entertainment, there wasn’t much variety. Just two or three food stands were available, which made the options very limited, especially for something labeled as a festival. For families or groups looking to spend a full day there, it really didn’t provide enough activities to justify the time or the cost.

Speaking of cost, that was another downside. Parking was $15 and admission was an additional $10 per person, which means for a small family the expenses add up quickly. Considering what was actually inside—just a small number of sandcastles and minimal food choices—the value for money just wasn’t there.

Overall, I would say it’s worth a quick visit if you’re already in Galveston and want to see some creative sand art, but it shouldn’t be considered a full-day event. It’s a nice idea with lots of potential, but unless the organizers expand the number of displays and add more activities, food, and entertainment, I don’t think it lives up to what most people expect from a festival. Beautiful sandcastles, but the experience was far too limited...

What an amazing experience!!! Sand Castle building with Emerson was a highlight from our trip. I contacted Emerson a couple of week before arriving. He was super easy to work with and accommodated our schedule. We met him at the beach. Boom the magic happened. Emerson had all the tools. He was engaging with my kids, 9yr & 7yr. He was able to hold their attention and had each of them working on a sand castle project. We had a great time and learned so much. We traded in our kiddy beach buckets and purchased much of what Emerson showed us. We have been practicing the skills he taught us since. Most of all my children have a great memory and learned something new.

Emerson, thank you so much for your time.

Thks, Jonathan,...

My girlfriend's and I took our kids for a girl's trip to Galveston and we got sand castle lessons on the beach from Emerson! He was so patient with our loud young group, he did amazing!! This is something really enjoyable for the entire family. Emerson made it so fun and light and enjoyable I couldn't stop playing in the sand, I still have the tan to prove it! This was the...