Karen Jean Fralich of Ontario won the soloist division at the 2023 Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition with her entry "The Great Barrier Reef' (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

sandcastle season

‘It’s an event not to miss:’ world-class sand sculptors about to rise on Parksville’s waterfront

Jul 12, 2024 | 5:24 AM

PARKSVILLE — Some of the top sand sculptors on the planet have converged on Parksville for the mid-Island region’s most popular summer attraction.

The Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition officially starts on Friday, July 12 with competitors embarking on their quest to construct 29 sculptures (15 soloists and 14 doubles entries).

Cheryl Dill, president of the Parksville Beach Festival Society, said organizers decided to divert from their usual practice of selecting a theme for their sculptors to follow.

“Many of them will have a particular story they want to convey with unique skills they have. We just wanted to give the theme a break and see what inspires these artists,” Dill told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Ten Canadian participants are in the running, while a strong contingent from the Netherlands leads an international contingent of competitors.

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The festival welcomes its first ever entrant from Colombia this year.

After spending Thursday creating and filling forms with sand and packing and pounding water, competitors get to work on Friday 2 p.m. at Parksville Beach at the Community Park, which coincides with gates opening to the public.

Competitors have 24 hours to complete their work through Sunday afternoon by using a share of more than 315 yards of specially screened sand trucked into the site.

Awards will be presented on Sunday at about 5 p.m. with judges selecting top five finishers in each category, while competitors choice awards for both divisions will also be handed out.

Dill said sculpting is how these competitors earn a full-time living.

“They sculpt in sand, they sculpt in snow and ice, they sculpt in other mediums. They are artists and they really know their medium well,” she said.

The competitor’s choice solo division winner in 2023 was Thomas Koet of the United States who produced ‘ The Two Wonders of the World.’ (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Just over 108,000 people viewed the sand sculptures during last summer’s Parksville Beach Festival, a five-and-a-half week celebration of entertainment on Parksville’s waterfront.

Following the competition, you can view the dazzling life-like creations by donation daily from Monday, July 15 through Aug. 18 from 9:30 a.m. through 8:30 p.m.

After event costs are settled, proceeds from gate donations are spread out to numerous mid-Island non-profit agencies.

Aside from COVID-19 related cancellations in 2020 and 2021, the Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition has taken place annually in Parksville since 1982.

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes