Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival Presented by Arnett Construction Announces Sculptor Line-up for 2026

The return of the fifth annual Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival, presented by Arnett Construction, will be held July 17-19, 2026, in Washington Park. Bill and Marianne Knight of the Sand Lovers, LLC, have released the sculptor line-up for this year’s festival, which includes two additional master sculptors.

“Reaching the fifth year of the Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival is a milestone for Michigan City and for the sand sculpting community,” said Bill Knight. “The Sand Lovers are honored to manage an event that showcases world-class talent, supports tourism, and brings thousands of people together to experience the art of sand in a truly unforgettable way.”

Master Sculptors Christy Atkinson of Franklin, TX, Bruce Peck of St. Louis, MO, Bert Adams of Vancouver, WA, Emerson Schreiner of Galveston, TX, Todd Pangborn of Jamestown, NY, and Albert Lucio of Austin, TX will return to Michigan City to take on the challenging sands of Lake Michigan. Newcomers Lucinda Wierenga of South Padre Island, TX, and Brendan Shaffer of Oxford, NJ, round out the expanded Master’s category.

“To make it to year five and see the event grow larger each year is amazing,” said Michigan City Special Events Director Terry Greetham. “When Bill and I first put this together, I am not sure either of us thought it would reach this point. But with hard work, and the support of so many people, here we are!”

In the Semi-Pro category, Scott Triplett of Grand Rapids, MI, Janet Schrader of Lakeside, MI, Mark Wilson of Astatula, FL, Dottie Willison of Melvin, MI, Robert May of St. Clair Shores, MI, Shannon Fishback of Acworth, GA, Jordyn Denomme of Port Huron, MI, Marcie Cowles of Columbus, OH, Darrell O’Connor of Dewey Beach, DE, and Ben Reed of Greentown, IN, all have experience in Michigan City and hope to take home the gold medal. Resa Wohlrabe of San Antonio, TX, visits the Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival for the first time.

The Singing Sands Sand Sculpting Festival runs July 17-19 and will include Master, Semi-Pro and Amateur sand sculpting contests, sand sculpting shows, food and craft vendors, live music and beach bar, and a kids-zone. The event will also include a charitable component, the Community Challenge. Local companies and organizations will compete to raise money for local LaPorte County charities. The festival opens daily at 10:00 am with activities and live entertainment throughout the day. Friday is free to the public, and tickets for Saturday and Sunday are available per day at the gate for $5.00. Children 6 and under are free with a paying adult. All tickets are sold at the gate. Washington Park parking restrictions do apply.

Visit our Facebook page, Michigan City Special Events, for more information. Visit www.thesandlovers.com to learn more about The Sand Lovers and professional sand sculpting events.