Sanding Ovations Runs Four Days. The Sculptures Behind the Bilmar Stay Up Through December.

The sculptors start carving the sand behind the Bilmar Beach Resort at 10650 Gulf Blvd. on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. That's more than a week before the 17th annual Sanding Ovations officially opens.

The posters advertise the main weekend, November 19 through 22. The festival's own FAQ gives a longer window. It says the sculptures "remain on the beach through December, if the weather allows." If you live on the island, that turns a four-day festival into about six weeks of sculptures a short walk or bike ride from home. The days before and after the main weekend are when you can see them without the crowds.

The Build Starts a Week Before the Festival

This year's theme is "Music is the Key." The City of Treasure Island describes sculptures that pay tribute to music from classic rock and country to jazz and pop, with each piece "telling the story of music through the years." During build week, those pieces are still rough blocks of packed sand being shaped into finished work, and you can watch that happen.

The festival site lists twelve sculptors this year:

• United States: Dan Doubleday, Meredith Doubleday, Deborah Barrett-Cutulle, Damon Meri, Sue McGrew and Bruce Phillip
• Canada: Abe Waterman, Mélineige Beauregard and Jonathan "Jobi" Bouchard
• Ireland: Fergus Mulvany
• France: Benoit Dutherage
• Russia: Ilya Filimontsev

Dan and Meredith Doubleday also organize the event, so two of the people carving are the people running it.

Build week ends with Meet the Masters on Wednesday, November 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Waves Beach Bar inside the Bilmar. The festival schedule says the ticket covers hors d'oeuvres and sponsor beers, with a cash bar for mixed drinks. You can buy tickets through the city's online catalog, at the door through the poolside entrance, or at City Hall, 10451 Gulf Blvd., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. It's the one evening when the sculptors you've been watching all week are the main event.

The Main Weekend Draws the Biggest Crowds

The quieter days matter because the main weekend is big. The city cites Destination Analysts figures putting the 2021 edition, Sandlantis, at more than 42,500 visitors and an estimated economic impact of over $9.4 million for Treasure Island and nearby communities. The event also had a gap year recently. As Axios Tampa Bay reported, it was canceled in 2024 after hurricanes Helene and Milton and returned in 2025.

Admission is free. Here's how the official schedule lays out each day:

• Thursday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Sculptures, kites, vendors and music. A silent dance party runs in front of the stage from 6 to 9 p.m., and tickets are $10.
• Friday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.: People's Choice voting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Votes cost $1 each or $5 for seven.
• Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.: More voting, free kids' sand-sculpting and kite-flying lessons at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., awards at 6 p.m. and fireworks by Alpha Fireworks Displays at 10 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Free kids' lessons again at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The kids' lessons meet at the Merchandise Tent. Windworks of John's Pass donated the sand buckets and tools, and they're handed out while supplies last.

The trickiest part of the main weekend is parking. Visit St. Pete-Clearwater lists $30 event parking at Treasure Island Park, metered city lots, and nearby private lots that each set their own prices. Free shuttles pick up at Treasure Bay and The Club at Treasure Island, and Paradise Lutheran Church is added as a stop on weekends. Shuttle hours change by date. If you live near Treasure Bay, the shuttle is the easiest way to avoid a $30 lot a mile from home.

A few rules that apply all season, according to the festival FAQ:

• Dogs aren't allowed on the beach under the city's beach ordinance, so the dog stays home.
• Glass is banned on the beach, and so are smoking and vaping.
• The event is cashless. Event bars, merchandise and parking take credit or debit cards only.
• Free beach wheelchairs are available first come, first served at the information and merchandise tent with a valid driver's license.
• Taylor Beach Event Services rents chairs for $5 for up to two hours or $10 for the whole day.

Thanksgiving Weekend Brings Football to the Beach

The encore weekend, November 27 through 29, keeps the sculptures and vendors and adds an all-American theme tied to America's 250th anniversary, with football on big screens and interactive games. Both of the weekend's biggest rivalry games will be shown on the sand.

• Friday, Nov. 27: Vendors open at 3 p.m., and Florida vs. Florida State kicks off on the beach at 3:30 p.m. The Jason Parker Trio plays Sloppy Joe's from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Sculptures, kites, vendors and music, plus Ohio State vs. Michigan on the beach at noon.

The city says the Bilmar and Sloppy Joe's will have a live band during the day on Friday, then move to a game-watching party by the pool that night. If you're hosting relatives for Thanksgiving, a free afternoon on the beach with a rivalry game on screen is an easy way to get everyone out of the house the day after the turkey.

In December, the Island's Neighborhoods Take Over the Calendar

The festival schedule ends with the encore weekend, but the sculptures stay on the beach through December if the weather allows. While they're still standing, most of the island's holiday events are run by its neighborhood civic associations and local groups, according to the city's events page.

1. Saturday, Dec. 5, 6 to 9 p.m.: The Paradise Island Civic Association holiday party at Treasure Bay Golf & Tennis, 10315 Paradise Blvd.
2. Saturday, Dec. 5: The Isle of Palms tree lighting ceremony. The time is still to be announced on the Isle of Palms Civic Association's Facebook page.
3. Sunday, Dec. 6, 8 a.m. to noon: The Gulf Beaches Rotary pancake breakfast at the Treasure Island Community Center, 1 Park Place.
4. Saturday, Dec. 12, 8 a.m.: The sixth annual Run for the Beaches 5K, on the sand at Gulf Front Park, 10400 Gulf Blvd.
5. Saturday, Dec. 12, 4 to 8 p.m.: The Sunset Beach Community Association's Santa Stroll at the Sunset Beach Pavilion, 8000 W. Gulf Blvd.

Gulf Front Park, at 10400 Gulf Blvd., is on the same stretch of Gulf Blvd. as the Bilmar, so if the weather holds, the race runs through the sculpture season.

The season wraps up on the water. The city's Holiday Lighted Boat Parade starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 19, travels through Boca Ciega Bay and finishes at John's Pass. This year it follows a new, shorter route. Boat owners who want to enter can register through the city's boat parade page, where registration opens in November, and the Parks and Recreation Department takes questions at 727-547-4575, ext. 246.

The next big event on the island's beach is the 29th Annual Treasure Island Sport Kite Competition & Festival, January 15 through 17, 2027, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

If you're a part-time owner planning a winter stay or hosting family over Thanksgiving, Hilary OBrien knows Treasure Island's calendar from build week through the boat parade and is happy to help you plan around it. Schedule a Free Consultation, and we'll talk about the island and the season you want to spend on it.