2024 Opening Weekend Results!

The 2024 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition in Parksville was a huge weekend success and marks a brilliant beginning for the 5-week exhibition. Sunny and warm weather provided ideal sand sculpting conditions, attracting a strong attendance of nearly 10,000 visitors to witness master sculptors carving sand into astounding sculptures. Competitors were allotted 30 hours to convert 255 yards of sand into jaw-dropping sand art. Parksville Beach Festival Society awarded medals and monetary prizes to sculptors with Peoples’ Choice to be awarded at the end of the exhibition. The results of the competition are below.

Soloist Results:
1st Place: Manual Campos (Colombia); Sculpture Entitled: “Guardian of Light”
2nd Place: Thomas Koet (Florida); Sculpture Entitled: “Captain Canada-Beaver Buddy”
3rd Place: Abe Waterman (PEI); Sculpture Entitled: “You can’t make an Omlette without Breaking Eggs”
4th Place: Karen Fralich (Ontario); Sculpture Entitled: “Treasure”
5th Place: Isabelle Gasse (Quebec); Sculpture Entitled: “Drawing a Blank”

Doubles Results
1st Place: Sue McGrew (USA) & Dmitry Klimenko (Russia) Sculpture Entitled: “Connection”
2nd Place: Wilfred Stijger & Edith van de Wetering (Netherlands) Sculpture Entitled: “The Amazing Mind”
3rd Place: Dan Belcher (USA) & Brian Wigglesworth (USA) Sculpture Entitled: “Zen Garden-Revisited”

Competitors Choice Awards: (Peer selection)
Soloist: Thomas Koet (USA); Sculpture Entitled: “Captain Canada-Beaver Buddy”
Doubles: Sue McGrew (USA) & Dmitry Klimenko (Russia) Sculpture Entitled: “Connection”

Sculptures will be on exhibit until Sunday, August 18 at Parksville Community Park. Gates are open from 9:30am-8:30pm daily. Entry by suggested donation of $5. Visitors may vote for their favorite sculpture resulting in the People’s Choice awards announced at the end of the exhibition.

For the first time, the Society hosted an opening weekend concert at the Parksville Outdoor Theatre, featuring the Canadian Hall of Famers, Trooper. The Soul Shakers from Victoria warmed up the 3500 concert goers with their soulful renditions and then Trooper delivered their nostalgic rock hits such as “We’re here for a Good Time, not a Long Time”, Boys in the Bright White Sports Car”, “One for the Money” and “Raise a Little Hell”. The dance floor was packed and Paul Laine, local resident along with the talented band musicians kept the audience engaged. The crowd demanded encores and then dispersed leaving the beautiful park in excellent shape for more musical entertainment to follow each for the next five weekends.

For images and details on other Parksville Beach Festival events in the park, see parksvillebeachfest.ca

Cheryl Dill, President Beach Festival Society | Cell: 250.954.8262 | dillc1967@gmail.com