Peter Vogelaar's entry titled Beneath the Waves. Vogelaar won the people's choice award in the solo division of the 2019 Sand Sculpting Competition and Exhibition as part of the Parksville Beach Festival. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

huge turnout

More than 100K view stunning sand sculptures at Parksville Beach

Aug 19, 2019 | 6:00 AM

PARKSVILLE — For a fifth straight year more than 100,000 people viewed the world-renowned sand sculptures at the popular Parksville Beach Festival.

Cheryl Dill, festival society president, said the largest sand sculpting competition in Canada was once again a huge success.

“We had 115,188 visitors through our gates, which is a really strong attendance,” Dill told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The attendance figures released after the five-week event finished on Sunday, Aug. 18 marked roughly 10,000 fewer people compared to 2018.

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Dill said the number of people who attended this year is aligned with a slight downward trend in Vancouver Island’s tourism industry after several banner years.

Quebec duo Jacinthe Trudel and Jonathan Bouchard won the top prize and doubles division people’s choice award for their entry Believe.

Peter Vogelaar of Winlaw, BC won the solo category people’s choice award for his entry Beneath the Waves.

Twenty-two sculptures under the Myths and Legends theme stood at the Community Park in Parksville between July 14 and Aug. 18.

A quarter of the gate revenues will be donated to 25 Parksville and Qualicum area local non-profit groups.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes