Parksville Beach Festival Opens with Record Crowds, Incredible Sand Sculptures and a Memorable April Wine Concert

 PARKSVILLE, BC — The 2026 Parksville Beach Festival kicked off in spectacular fashion this weekend as thousands gathered for the opening of the Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition and the highly anticipated April Wine concert.

8,629 visitors watched 30 world-class sculptors transform 255 cubic yards of sand into extraordinary works of art during the competition. On Saturday evening, more than 2,300 music fans filled the Parksville Outdoor Theatre for an unforgettable performance by Canadian rock legends April Wine.

Over 30 hours of sculpting, artists from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Russia and the United States created breathtaking sculptures that will remain on display through August 16. Medals and prize money were awarded to the top solo competitors, while the coveted People’s Choice Award will be announced at the close of the exhibition.

2026 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition Results

Solo Competition

• 1st Place:Abe Waterman (PEI) – Walls
• 2nd Place:Manuel Campos (Colombia) – Beyond Appearance
• 3rd Place:Todd Pangborn (USA) – Deception
• 4th Place:Damon Langlois (Victoria, BC) – Free Hugs
• 5th Place:Thomas Koet (USA) – Daddy’s Little Monster

Doubles Competition

Following the vandalism that occurred early Sunday morning, which damaged four doubles sculptures, competitors met with Master Judge Peter Vogelaar and collectively agreed that the doubles prize money would be shared equally among all teams in the category.

Competitors’ Choice Awards (selected by fellow sculptors)

• Solo:Thomas Koet (USA) – Daddy’s Little Monster
• Doubles:Helena Bangert & Hanneke Supply (Netherlands & Belgium) – Touched by the Beast

The sand sculptures will be on display daily through Sunday, August 16 at Parksville Community Park. Exhibition hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Admission is by a suggested $5 donation, and visitors are encouraged to vote for their favourite sculpture for the People’s Choice Award, which will be announced at the conclusion of the exhibition.

For the third consecutive year, the Parksville Beach Festival Society hosted an opening weekend concert at the Parksville Outdoor Theatre, presented with the support of Van-Roc Interiors. Victoria’s Tumblin’ Dice energized the crowd with a lively opening set before Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees April Wine took the stage.

Despite intermittent rain showers, the audience danced and sang along to classic hits including Just Between You and Me, Roller, and Tonite Is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love. The band’s warmth, energy and timeless catalogue made for a fitting finale to their summer touring schedule. After several encore requests from the enthusiastic crowd, concertgoers departed having enjoyed a memorable evening and leaving the venue in excellent condition for the five remaining weekends of live entertainment.

For event information, schedules and images from the festival, visit parksvillebeachfest.ca.

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Media Contact:
Cheryl Dill, President
Parksville Beach Festival Society
Cell: 250-954-8262
[email protected]