"Un-bear-a-bull" won the doubles category, playing off a stock market theme ahead of the collapse in 1929. (Parksville Beach Festival)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

great success

Organizers ‘bull-ish’ after roaring return of Parksville Beach Festival

Jul 18, 2022 | 9:17 AM

PARKSVILLE — Competitors were told to harken back to the roaring 20’s in their designs while event-goers returned to the Parksville Beach Festival in droves.

Opening weekend attendance was better than the last time the event was held in 2019, with 10,886 people taking in the action between Friday, July 15 and Sunday, July 17.

Cheryl Dill, president of the Parksville Beach Festival society, told NanaimoNewsNOW they battled through a lot to revive the event after two years away.

“You can imagine with all the pandemic challenges with travel alone, that was a really difficult task and also to find accommodations for our sculptors, that wasn’t an easy task because there’s been so many changes to the local economy with change in ownership of businesses.”

Dill added the weather also didn’t fall their way with persistent light rain on Saturday and Sunday.

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American Dan Belcher’s ‘Spirit of Aviation’ won the solo category, while a team effort of Sue Ruseler of the Netherlands and American Sue McGrew won the double’s with a stock market-themed piece called “Un-bear-a-bull”.

Ruseler and McGrew’s design also won the doubles sculptor’s choice award, while Mexico’s Francisco Calvillo won in the solo category for his piece “The Vortex – An Extraordinary Love Story”.

Photos of all the entries are on the Parksville Beach Festival Facebook page.

Dan Belcher’s ‘Spirit of Aviation’ entry took out the solo category at the 2022 Parksville Beach Festival sand sculpting competition. (Parksville Beach Festival)

The sculptures will remain throughout the entire five-week event, with daily viewing available from 9:30 a.m. and through a suggested $5 donation.

Dill said volunteers are spending Monday spraying down the designs with a wood glue and water mixture to ensure they can last the festival’s length.

“The sculptors themselves started spraying as they sculpted so that the rain doesn’t penetrate the sculptures and bring them down. It’s an environmentally friendly product and that’s what allows everybody to enjoy them for five and a half weeks.”

With the sculptures built, focus now turns to other scheduled events for the festival.

Nearly 11,000 people took in 20 different sculptures over the first weekend of the Parksville Beach Festival. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

A summer concert series will kick off Friday, July 22 and officially unveil a newly constructed outdoor theatre and stage.

“It’s a grand, gorgeous, new theatre that will be fit for all kinds of performances right here in Parksville to serve central Vancouver Island,” Dill said proudly.

An artisan market will run in the Community Park on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 with more concerts leading up to a light up and fireworks show over the August 19-20 weekend.

A 2016 study estimated the five-week event brings $18 million into the local economy every year with over 100,000 people visiting.

A full schedule of events is available on the festival’s website.

The theme of ‘Roaring 20’s’ meant sculptors were inspired by the early days of sci-fi for some entries, including this ‘Rocketeer’ piece. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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