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Parksville Beach Festival Society puts out call for professional sand sculptors

Sand sculpting competition set for July 13 to July 16, 2023
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Damon Langlois, from B.C., hard at work during the 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition in Parksville July 17, 2022. (PQB News file photo)

Parksville Beach Festival Society has opened up applications for professional sculptors to enter the 2023 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition.

Entrants will compete for cash prizes, in addition to receiving a $1,200 appearance fee, during the July 13 to July 16 competition in Parksville Community Park, according to Parksville Beach Festival Society’s website.

Solo and team sculptors will have 30 hours over the four days to create a masterpiece based on this year’s theme of “Wonders of the World”.

Doubles will work with 15 yards of sand with a 20-foot by 20-foot plot size, while soloists will have 10 yards of sand with a 12 by 15 plot size.

The sculptures will be judged on Sunday, July 16, with awards handed out at approximately 5 p.m.

READ MORE: VIDEO: 2022 winners declared at Parksville’s international sand sculpting event

The competition made its triumphant return last year, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 concerns.

Susanne Ruseler and Sue McGrew won first place for doubles, while Dan Belcher took home first place in the individual sculptor category.

Gate ambassadors for the 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting exhibition welcomed 115,217 visitors during the five-week festival, surpassing 2019’s total of 115,118, according to a news release by Parksville Beach Festival Society.

Since 1999, the society has donated $1 million to non-profit organizations and community projects, which include construction of the park gazebo and community signs.

— NEWS Staff


kevin.forsyth@pqbnews.com