Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition Celebrates 11th Year
The Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition in Hampton Beach, NH celebrates 11 years of incredible creations this summer. The event will be held June 18th-28th, and attracts world-famous sand sculptors from all over the world. This year’s competition is once again a qualifier for the World Championships of Sand Sculpting; it’s the only qualifying event on the East Coast.
“This isn’t about building sand castles, no matter how incredible they might be,” says Greg Grady, event coordinator, and himself a master sculptor. “These artists have an extremely high degree of skill, creating art that is both unique and sophisticated. They are continually pushing themselves to the next level. We never know what they are going to attempt from year to year, and that’s part of the excitement of this competition.”
The sculptors use nothing but sand, water, and a few plastic or wooden forms to allow them to initially build their masterpieces up high (the forms are later removed). Past creations have featured elaborately detailed mermaids, Roman pavilions, knitting grandmothers, mythical forest figures, pirates, buddhas and dragons–to name a few.
The Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Championship is the longest running solo master sand sculpting event in New England. Known for its high caliber of competition, the event features several past world champions. Among the champions returning this year are Carl Jara, former world title holder, from Lyndhurst, OH; and Karen Fralich, former world title holder, from Ontario, Canada. Other entrants include Lucinda “Sandy Feet” Wierenga from South Padre Island, TX; Michael Lepire and his son, Marc Lepire from Charlesbourg, Quebec, Canada; Guy-Olivier Deveau from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada; Justin Gordon from Groveland, MA; “Attilio” Steve Topazio from Tiverton, RI; Gregory Grady and his son, Greg Grady, Hampton Beach, NH; and Marielle Heessels from Rijen, Netherlands. Heessels has competed in 17 different countries; last year, this competition was her first one in the United States. Every sculptor competing has been in the top five at the World Championships.
The sculptors have a total of 21 hours over three days to complete their sculptures. They are each given their own private plot and 10 tons of sand to work with. Sculptors will be carving June 18th-25th, with voting and awards given out on the evening of the 25th, followed by fireworks. The sculptures will remain on display through June 29th, and will be lit for night viewing.
Once again, sculptors are competing not only for the HamptonBeach contest’s $15,000 in prize money, but also to qualify for the World Championships. The winner here will get an all-expenses paid trip to the Worlds, to be held at Fort Myers Beach, Florida in November.
Prior to the masters beginning their competition, a massive 200-ton sponsor site will be created from June 18th-22nd, and a Masters Group Carve will take place on the 22nd. Visitors who want to learn how to do sand carving can sign up for free lessons on Saturday, June 25th. Lessons will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and you can only sign up the day of the lesson. Register at the Chamber Office, next to the Sand Sculpture Event.
This year, visitors will also be excited to see the extensive improvements underway at Hampton Beach, part of a year-long multi-million dollar renovation project. Already, there are new bathrooms, new lighting, new handicapped facilities, and more green spaces. “People will be amazed at the transformation,” says John Kane, marketing director of the Hampton Beach Village District. “And it’s only the beginning–when everything is completed, the beach will be transformed.”
In the meantime, all eyes are on another type of transformation – watching tons of sand be reworked into creations both fanciful and lifelike. While beach goers fervently hope for sun, Grady notes that rainy days are perfect days for viewing the sand sculptures. “Rain actually strengthens the sculptures, so if it rains, come on down and see some magic on the beach.”
Source: Hampton Beach Village District