Join us for our annual AIA Cleveland Sand Fest!
This event is open to the public and free to spectators.
Every summer, AIA Cleveland goes to the beach to raise funds for the ACE Mentor Program!
Our chapter’s signature event combines volleyball and sand castle construction to present a unique opportunity for Cleveland architects and designers to engage with the public on one of Cleveland’s premier beaches (Edgewater Beach just west of Downtown Cleveland).
This year, Sand Fest is taking you on a global adventure with our “Around the World” theme! From the Eiffel tower in Paris, to the Zen Gardens of Japan, to the domes of the Taj Mahal, and the pillars of Stonehenge, get inspired by iconic landmarks and traditions or regional symbols from cultures around the world. We’re celebrating the creativity and spirit of communities across the globe. Whether you’re competing or spectating, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled the world without leaving the sand. Let your imagination take flight — we can’t wait to see how you bring the world to Sand Fest!
Last year we raised $8,500 dollars for the ACE Mentorship Program Scholarship Fund. Winners included RDL Architects (Sandcastle Winner); Vocon (Sandcastle Runner-Up, Best of the Beach Fan Vote, and Volleyball Champion); and Whiting-Turner (Volleyball Runner-Up). Join us for a day of friendly competition for a great cause as all proceeds support the ACE Mentor Program’s scholarship fund. Event sponsorships are available at multiple levels and include team registration benefits. Check out the full competition rules for both the sand castle and volleyball competitions by downloading the PDF on the webpage. The ACE Mentor Program is an after-school mentorship initiative that teams fourteen CMSD student teams with architecture, construction, and engineering professionals to respond to a Cleveland-based RFP and encourage consideration of careers in design & construction. All proceeds raised go to the ACE Mentor Program scholarship fund.
Please consider donating directly to ACE at: https://www.acementor.org/donate/
2025 Schedule of Events:
- 7:00 AM | Team Check-In
- 8:00 AM | Sandcastle Begins
- 9:00 AM | Volleyball Tournament Begins
- 1:00 PM | Public Voting Begins
- 3:00 PM | Parade of Castles, Celebrity Jury
- 4:00 PM | Championship Volleyball Matches, Awards