Pier 60 Sunset Festival is a free, open-air celebration held nightly on Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach. Street performers, local artists and craftspeople, musicians, and thousands of visitors gather on the pier and surrounding beach to watch the sun disappear into the Gulf of Mexico. It's one of the only nightly sunset festivals in the United States and it's the reason half of Clearwater Beach's visitors time their day the way they do.
When Does the Festival Happen?
Every night, weather permitting, two hours before sunset until two hours after. The festival has been running nightly for more than two decades and is produced by a small non-profit funded by the City of Clearwater. In the summer it can run as late as 10 PM; in winter it wraps closer to 7:30 PM.
Check the sunset time in advance — in June it's past 8:30 PM, in December it's closer to 5:45 PM. Plan to arrive at least 45 minutes early if you want a good spot on the pier itself.
What to Expect
- Local artisans and craft vendors. Jewelry, paintings, carvings, beach photography, hand-blown glass. Most items are $10–$60.
- Street performers. Jugglers, musicians, fire dancers (after dark in summer), and buskers who make the pier feel like a mini-festival every single night.
- Live music. Acoustic sets, cover bands, and regional performers rotate on a small stage.
- Movies on the beach. Friday and Saturday nights in summer, the city screens family-friendly movies right on the sand just south of the pier.
- The sunset itself. Clearwater Beach faces due west — the sun drops straight into the horizon. It's hard to overstate how good it looks.
How to Get There & Where to Park
Pier 60 sits at the end of Memorial Causeway, the bridge that connects Clearwater to Clearwater Beach. The pier itself is directly adjacent to North Beach Parking Plaza (490 Poinsettia Ave, 400+ spaces), which is the easiest parking option for the festival. Britt's Surf Style Garage and the Hyatt Aqualea Garage are both a short walk south.
Expect the closest spaces to fill at least one hour before sunset on weekends, and even earlier during holiday weeks or Spring Break. For a full breakdown, read our parking at Clearwater Beach guide.
What to Bring
- Cash — many vendors take cards, but a few are cash-only
- A light jacket in winter (Gulf breeze + sunset = chilly)
- A camera or phone with some battery left
- A reusable water bottle — refill stations are on the pier
- Comfortable walking shoes — the pier is about 1,080 feet long
Where to Eat Before or After
The pier is walking distance from a long lineup of restaurants. Try Frenchy's Rockaway Grill for the Gulf's famous grouper sandwich right on the sand, Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar for a classic beach-bar dinner, or Crabby's Bar & Grill on Beach Walk for rooftop views. All three are within a five-minute walk of Pier 60.
Local Tip
Stake your sunset spot on the beach just south of the pier — not on the pier itself. The pier gives you an elevated view, but the sand gives you the full Gulf horizon and you can stay as late as you want after the festival ends.
Is It Worth It?
Yes — and it's free. If you do one thing on Clearwater Beach, do this. Combine it with an early dinner on Beach Walk, plan to arrive at 10:30 AM for a full beach day first (see the best time of day to visit), and you've built the perfect Clearwater Beach day, top to bottom.
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