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‘Wild things’ chosen as theme for 2018 Parksville sand sculpting competition

Mar 11, 2018 | 6:01 PM

PARKSVILLE — If the chosen theme is any indication, 2018 is going to be wilder than ever at the Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition in Parksville.

When the best sand sculptors in the world start pounding the sand this summer, they’ll be working under the theme Wild Things — from here to the Galapagos.

Beach Festival Society president Cheryl Dill said the theme was the brainchild of title sponsor Quality Foods, who are launching a program to get rid of single-use plastic bags.

“They also had done some research around what’s happening in the world with plastics and things like that that are affecting the environment,” Dill said. “Of course the Galapagos Islands are certainly endangered in terms of some environmental challenges that are happening in our world.”

Dill said the theme and the reasons behind it align very well with what they are trying to promote.

“And that is bring the world to Parksville and promoting all the wonderful things that we have to celebrate in central Vancouver Island and that is nature and the love of nature.”

This year’s exhibition runs July 13 to Aug. 19 at the Community Park.

Last year’s festival drew more than 130,000 people, the third straight year with six-figure attendance and just shy of 2016’s record of 133,430.

The Society assigns 25 per cent of their gate proceeds to community projects and philanthropic groups annually. Since 1999, the Society has donated $557,150.

 

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