Parksville is well known for its large, sandy beaches at Parksville Bay and Craig Bay. The city's best-known annual event since 1982 is a sandcastle-building competition held from mid-July to mid-August, dubbed 'Parksville Beachfest'. Beachfest is the only World Championship Sand Sculpting official qualification event in Canada.
Tertiary sector and secondary sector jobs make up the largest part of the Parksville economy. The three largest types of occupations in Parksville are the service industry; the construction industry; and the business, financial, and administration industries. These are the largest sectors of the city's economy largely due to the summer tourism industry, and a large influx of retirees moving into the area. There is also a fair amount of primary sector industry in the surrounding areas of Parksville, primarily fishing and forestry.
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