This Event has Passed
43rd Annual Leap Sandcastle Classic, Presented by Genentech
This iconic San Francisco event brings together thousands of students, professionals, and families for a day of jaw-dropping sand sculptures, live music, food trucks, and community fun – all in support of arts education for Bay Area public schools.
The 43rd Annual Leap Sandcastle Classic, a San Francisco tradition, raises funds for high quality arts and architecture education for nearly 10,000 Bay Area public school students who would otherwise go without. Thousands flock to Ocean Beach to see teams of local elementary students, and professionals from over 100 architecture, design, engineering, construction, and tech companies collaborate to build enormous, intricate sandcastles.
This year’s theme, “Level Up!”, celebrates video games past and present – from arcade favorites to console and mobile classics. We encourage teams to “Level Up” their creations to hit a new high score! Costumes are encouraged!
What to Expect
● Massive, themed sand sculptures
● Live music and dance performances
● Food trucks and community booths
● Interactive “Community Castle” for public participation
● Arts and crafts activities for kids and families
● Open play beach volleyball
The Classic will feature celebrity judges, live entertainment, and Community Castles so
everyone can join in the fun, cheer on teams, and get their hands dirty! The public is invited to bring a blanket, grab a bite from the food trucks on site, participate in the competition, and spend a FREE day in the sun, all while helping Leap raise over $300,000 to keep the arts alive in local schools.
Where: The event is at Ocean Beach at Balboa St, rain or shine.
When: Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 11AM - 3:30PM
Who:
● Hosted by KOIT’s Freska (http://www.koit.com/hosts/freska)
● Live musical and dance performances
● Bay Area 3rd - 5th grade students
● Professionals from 100+ companies representing the Architectural, Engineering, Design, Construction and Technology industries
Sponsors:
PRESENTED BY GENENTECH
Arup, Empire, Volo Sports, Perkins Eastman, Allsteel, Goldstein Saunders Family, AT&T, Dunn Edwards, Acousthetics, McCarthy, 19six Architects, KOIT
Each year, Leap orchestrates the spectacular Sandcastle Classic as its major fundraising event. Funds raised from the Sandcastle Classic ensure that Leap can continue its important mission to keep the arts alive in Bay Area schools. Leap’s 2025 goal is to raise more than $300,000.
For more information, visit: www.leapsandcastleclassic.org.
About LEAP:
Leap Arts in Education is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1979 in response to the severe cuts in California's school budgets that effectively eliminated the arts from elementary education. Leap's mission is to provide high quality arts education to Bay Area children by bringing visual and performing artists and architects into the classroom to help students build skills and achieve their full potential. This year, Leap served over 9,600 children in 33 Bay Area schools.
Arts Education Matters:
● Students with an arts education increase test scores across every subject
● Students with an arts education are 4X more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
● Students who receive a quality arts education have higher attendance and graduation rates
Bay Area classroom teachers agree that an arts education is fundamental to student success:
-74% agree that students develop/apply critical thinking
-89% agree that students develop/apply communication skills
-85% agree that students practice collaboration
Leap provides quality arts education to Bay Area schools. You can help.
Volunteer. Donate. Build.
For more information call 415-512-1899.
Sandcastle Website: www.leapsandcastleclassic.org
Donate to Leap: www.leaparts.org
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3308586-0
