Beach sand sculpting begins with group carve

Nov 10, 2010 1 min read

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BECKY BODNAR On the first day of the Sandsculpting Festival, piles of sand await transformation by the sand sculptors

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BECKY BODNAR Master Sculptor “Amazin” Walter McDonald of South Padre Island, Tex., works in front of the Group Sculpture.

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BECKY BODNAR The Group Sculpture features the corporate logos of festival sponsors.

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BECKY BODNAR Artist carves “Fort Myers Beach” into sculpture.

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BECKY BODNAR Master sand and ice sculptor Michel Lepire of Quebec, Canada, blends water with sand to exactly the right consistency for sand sculpture .

Day one of the 2010 American Sand Sculpting Championship Festival is in the books. The five-day event began with Masters Sculptors, Florida State and amateur carvers engaging in the Group Sculpture Carving (a logo-sponsored sculpture) at the Holiday Inn site.

The sculptors will continue the group carve today before beginning on their individual pieces Thursday. They will continue shaping their sculptures all weekend long before adding final touches Sunday when the judging takes center stage. The winner will automatically qualify for the 2011 World Championships next September in Federal Way, Wash.

On the competition days (Friday through Saturday), festival attendees can purchase a Master’s View pass for a fenced-off viewing of the Master Sculptors work. The daily rates are children and seniors for $3 each; adults for $5 each; and a family package (parent(s) with children) for $10 per day. The fee structure is also for attendance inventory (helpful for future use in getting sponsorships and Tourist Development Council dollars) and to make sure that the high level of competition continues.