Sand sculptors from as far away as the Netherlands and England are set to converge on Fort Myers Beach later this month to compete in a contest that organizers say will carve America's 250th birthday right into the shoreline. The 36th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship runs Thursday, Nov. 19, through Monday, Nov. 23, on the beach behind DiamondHead Beach Resort and Estero Island Beach Club at 2000 Estero Blvd.
According to Florida Weekly, this year's event carries the theme “Stars, Stripes & Sand: Sculpting the American Story,” timed to the nation's 250th birthday. Twenty-nine sculptors are entered, including 12 Master sculptors and 12 Advanced Amateur sculptors, representing 10 states and five countries. The roster draws artists from the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands and England, per the same report.
The championship is hosted by the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce and presented in collaboration with The Sand Lovers, LLC and DiamondHead Beach Resort. Jacki Liszak, the chamber's president and CEO, framed the gathering as more than a sculpture showcase. “Celebrate not only the incredible talent of our sculptors, but also the stories, traditions and spirit that bring us together as Americans,” she said, according to Florida Weekly's report.
Daily Hours, Vendors and Hands-On Sculpting
The event runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from Nov. 19 through Nov. 23, with gates closing at 4:45 p.m. daily, according to the event website. The lineup includes more than 80 vendors, food and beverage stands, live entertainment, hands-on sand sculpting lessons, professional demonstrations, Quick Sand speed-sculpting shows and a dedicated sand play area for kids.
Admission runs $10 at the gate, with discounted advance general-admission tickets available for $8 per person, and family packs and weekend packs sold online, the article states. The event's own website adds that entry is free on Thursday, Nov. 19, and that children age 3 and under get in free any day of the event, according to Sand Sculpting Championship.
Amateur Contest and People's Choice Vote
Weekend visitors with their own sculpting ambitions get a shot at the sand too. The Amateur Sand Sculpting Competition takes place Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with awards following at 4 p.m., according to Beach Talk Radio News. Registration costs $10 per person or sculptor, and the contest is capped at 20 plots on a first-come, first-served basis, per that outlet's report.
On Sunday, Nov. 22, People's Choice voting closes, and the winner is announced alongside the awards ceremony, the Florida Weekly report notes. Monday, Nov. 23, offers one last chance to view the finished sculptures, with plein air and other art activities presented by the Fort Myers Beach Art Association rounding out the week.
Parking Is Tight, Organizers Warn
Anyone driving in should plan ahead. The event's website for parking details warns that DiamondHead Beach Resort has very limited parking, and that donated lots will instead be run by local nonprofits as fundraisers for their own causes, according to the same Sand Sculpting Championship site.
Last year's event drew more than 15,000 attendees, Florida Weekly reported, and organizers expect this year's version to again pull in both visitors and residents of Fort Myers Beach.
