 |
 |
Published 06/01/09
Oregon Coast Sandcastle Festival Among Biggest in World
 |
| One winner in recent years made quite a splash with Smokey the Bear. |
(Cannon Beach, Oregon) - Ornate and intricate sculptures made of sand will be the center of celebration in Cannon Beach, with the 45th Annual Sandcastle day Festival taking over the town on June 13. The event cajoles amateurs, families, professionals and people of all ages to participate in this wildly imaginative festival, with hundreds of sculptures, figures, scenarios and creatures carved out of the sand near Haystack Rock.
Thousands hit the beach in the morning at low tide, to either sculpt these jaw-dropping masterpieces or to watch them being created. Participants compete in various categories, some by age or skill level and some by how members are in the group.
In the 45 years since Sandcastle Day began, it has become an arena for some of the finest sand sculpting in the world and one the largest such events on the west coast. Each year approximately 1,000 participants and approximately 8000 spectators attend the event.
It all begins
at 6:30 a.m. with registration and building at the large entrance just
north of Haystack Rock (by the Wayfarer Restaurant). Cars are then allowed
to enter the beach.
Master teams will begin building on the beach at 9 a.m. All other teams will begin at 10 a.m.
There will be a wide array of contestants this year, ranging from the Professional Master’s division to the Large Group Category. The Sand Fleas category is for those who are under six years of age. Awards will be given in all six divisions (Masters, Large Group, Small Group, Sand Teens, Sand Juniors, & Sand Fleas). Viewing is between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Judging is ongoing throughout the event with staggered end times that correspond to the age groups. Judging will be complete by 2 p.m. Cars will need to be off the beach by 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
This year
a sandcastle building class will be held on the beach, Friday, June 12.
Frances and Michael Velling will teach the class. The Vellings are three-time
world Sandcastle Champions and this year celebrate their 20th year of
competing in the Cannon Beach Sandcastle competition. There is no fee
for the class.
Also participating in the event include is the American Legion, which will be hosting a scholarship fundraising breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Legion on Hemlock Street, adjacent to the event ($7 adults $5 children). The Cannon Beach Children’s Center will have a food court on the beach (breakfast sandwiches, hot dogs, coffee and treats).
The Sandcastle Day Festival began in 1964, not long after a tsunami washed out the bridge between town and Highway 101. That scared off many tourists, and once the bridge was rebuilt, Cannon Beach held the first Sandcastle Day Festival to help get them to return to town.
The first
one was a low-key event featuring mostly local sand sculptors, put together
by Margaret Atherton and now-gallery owner Bill Steidel. It was designed
specifically for kids and families, and one of several efforts to draw
tourists back to town. It was usually planned around days with the lowest
tides, and would happen in May, June or July.
Since then, it has grown to enormous proportions and become one of the pivotal events of summer on the Oregon coast. It still is based on lowest tides, scheduled around that occurrence in May, June or July – although it has generally happened in June in recent years.
Lodging Opening for Sandcastle Weekend Lodging in the area will be extremely hard to find that weekend. But Shaw's Oceanfront B&B is reporting an opening. It's like a vacation rental and B&B in one, sleeping several people. Five minutes from Cannon Beach. 79924 Cannon Road, Arch Cape, Oregon. (503) 436-1422. (888) 269-4483. www.shawsoceanfrontbb.com |
The Cannon Beach Chamber says traffic isn’t as much a problem these days, but finding lodging is. “They used to be booked up six months in advance, but that’s not so much a problem anymore,” said a chamber spokesman. “But most lodgings report being full a month or two weeks ahead of the event, so be sure to make your reservations early if you want to stay in town.”
Nearby towns like Manzanita, Nehalem and Seaside should be able to provide lodging the night before as well, the chamber said.
To register, or for general rules and regulations go to www.cannonbeach.org, or call (503) 436-2623 ext 3.
For more about Cannon Beach lodging....
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
RELATED STORIES
Unusual Travel Articles TravelParanormal.com allows you to submit your own creepy tale or debunk one - or see up-to-the-minute news headlines about travel and the paranormal.
Watching Transformations of Oregon Coast Beaches Seasons change and so do beaches, revealing different sides and a variety of eye-popping sights
Staggeringly Cool Ideas for Oregon Coast Romance Be it the season of Valentine's or be it any time of the year, Oregon's coastline has essentially cornered the market for cuddle-inducing possibilities and gushy activities for the hand-holding set
Day or Night Mysteries and Merriment on Oregon Coast It's more than just nightlife that comes to life, but the beaches offer major opportunities
Secrets of the Season |
News Headlines from All Over Oregon Need to scan Oregon headlines? Constantly updated news from all over Oregon: a comprehensive, up-to-the-minute display of news headlines from a variety of media.
CONTACT / ADVERTISE ON BEACH CONNECTION