Summer is here….
The heart of summer arrived on July 4th and Revere Beach will be alive and buzzing with activity and excitement through Labor Day weekend and beyond.
Movie nights, a bocce tournament, three days of the world’s most meticulous sand castles, and more than 75 perfect beach days lay ahead for long-time lovers of and new visitors to America’s First Public Beach.
The summer highlight – and the City of Revere’s biggest event all year – is the 18th Annual Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival from July 22nd to 24th. With a “Wonders of the World” theme, the premier event of its kind in the U.S. features a return of the Festival’s Master Sand Sculpting Competition.
The Festival’s event centerpiece will highlight the world’s most famous landmarks, and attendees will be treated to the master competition featuring 15 master sand sculptors, three days of live entertainment, food trucks, specialty food vendors, exhibitors, amusement rides, and other attractions. Another highlight of the three-day event will be the annual Fireworks Spectacular at 9 p.m. on July 23.
Photos by Joe Siciliano
“We are so excited to welcome everyone to Revere Beach for the 18th Annual International Sand Sculpting Festival,” said Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo, in a press release announcing the event. “As the first public beach in America, Revere Beach has always been a destination spot for visitors.”
Arrigo recently launched the new Revere Office of Travel and Tourism and its kickoff initiative: “Next Stop Revere: By Land, By Sea, or T.” He also appointed the city’s assistant director of Parks and Recreation, Charlie Giuffrida, the new director of the department to spearhead the tourism push. Next Stop Revere is the city’s first proactive initiative to capture millions more in revenue from visitors to Revere Beach.
“At its core, the Tourism office is the marketing arm of the city; dedicated to showcasing Revere as a destination for local, regional, and international tourists,” Giuffrida said in the City’s official announcement of the new Tourism Office initiative. “I grew up in this area and even I’m astounded by how much there is here.”
A collaboration between the Revere Beach Partnership and the City of Revere – and with in-kind promotional support from RevereBeach.com – the International Sand Sculpting Festival has traditionally drawn more visitors (in excess of 1 million people) to Revere Beach than any other event during the year.
“The mission of the Revere Beach Partnership is to preserve and enhance America’s first public beach for the enjoyment of all,” said John Hamel, Chairman of the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival Committee. “With this as our focus, we are committed to putting on a world-class event that invites visitors from all over the world and showcases the beauty of Revere Beach and all that Revere and its surroundings have to offer.”
The Revere Beach Summer of 2022 unofficially kicked off Memorial Day Weekend and has seen thousands of beachgoers enjoying the historic spot, which is maintained beautifully by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Summer movie nights are a great family activity, and Revere Beach’s Theatre Thursdays are continuing through August 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. opposite Kelly’s Roast Beef (410 Revere Beach Boulevard). The movie night is sponsored by the Revere Parks and Recreation Department and Astound Broadband. There is free popcorn and cotton candy and plenty of room for attendees to bring blankets and chairs.
“I am in love with Revere Beach every day of the year, but there is nothing quite like the magnificent experience this American treasure offers during the heart of summer in July and August,” said Bob Upton, President of the Revere History Museum and Founder and Publisher of RevereBeach.com. “It’s great to see so much activity and life has returned in full along Revere Beach Boulevard. I believe 2022 is a real milestone for the City of Revere and for America’s First Public Beach.”
Upton and other organizers are behind one of the other largest events on Revere Beach: the annual Bocce on the Beach Tournament to benefit the Rumney Marsh Burial Ground Restoration Committee. The entry fee is $200 per team with a limit of 28 teams. The tournament runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 6 at Peter E. McCauley Plaza (the iconic clock on Revere Beach). Interested teams can sign up at this link.
