43rd Annual Leap Sandcastle Classic, Presented by Genentech
Benefits Bay Area Students, Features Supersized Sandcastles
Saturday, October 25, 2025 | Ocean Beach
FREE TO THE PUBLIC! RAIN OR SHINE!
SAN FRANCISCO – On Saturday, October 25, Leap Arts in Education will take over
Ocean Beach to host the largest sandcastle contest in Northern California. 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 3 rd – 5 th grade students
● Professionals from 100+ companies representing the Architectural,
Engineering, Design, Construction and Technology industries
www.leapsandcastleclassic.org
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.