Miami Seawall Sand Castle Festival

Miami Seawall Sand Castle Festival is a yearly event held by the Miami-Dade County in Miami Beach, Florida. It is held during the second week of July each year. The main attraction of the event is the sand castle building competition, where contestants are invited to build the most elaborate sand castles, and are judged by a panel and popular vote. The winner usually receives a cash prize, with the two runners-up and the popular vote winner also receiving smaller prizes. In addition, there are surfing events, food stalls, jet flybys, and other activities. The event is held inside the city's seawall, built to prevent flooding from rising sea levels. The city imports significant amounts of sand from Australia in order to maintain their artificial beaches, which are separated from the ocean by the wall.

The festival was started in 2063 at the request of the Governor of Florida, in order to celebrate the expansion of the Miami Seawall. At the time, it was viewed as a poor distraction from the reality of rising sea levels, which would flood the city if not for the wall. However, over the succeeding years, it has become exceptionally popular with both city residents and tourists alike. It is considered by many to be a distraction during the summer break from work, and is fun for the whole family. The Disney Corporation has repeatedly offered to sponsor the event, but owing to the corporation's long-running feud with the State of Florida, they have been denied. Instead, other corporations that are seen as "more in line with the State's values" are invited to sponsor the event. Due to these sponsorships, the festival rarely costs the taxpayers any money.