Rehoboth-Dewey sandcastle contest set Sept. 7
The Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the 40th Annual Sandcastle Contest Saturday, Sept. 7, when teams and individuals can express their artistic flair in the sand. Past creations have included mermaids, Funland rides, pyramids, dolphins, Olympic athletes and of course, traditional sandcastles. The contest will be held on the beach in front of Funland between Delaware Avenue and Laurel Street in Rehoboth Beach.
The contest is open to both adults and children; all skill levels are welcome. Registration is free and participants may sign up under the blue chamber tent between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sand sculptures may be started at any time on the day of competition but must be completed for judging by 3 p.m.
The public is invited to participate in the People’s Choice voting between 3 and 4 p.m. Winners will be announced at about 4:30 p.m. Trophies will be awarded to the top eight People’s Choice favorites in the adult and youth divisions, with one trophy for the business division. Children ages 6 and under will receive a souvenir squirt toy while supplies last.
Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult when registering for competition. The chamber encourages youngsters to enter and asks that parents provide minimal assistance to youth entries. Sculpture subject matter is left to the artists’ imagination; however, the chamber advises avoiding political/controversial themes.
Beachgoers who would rather watch than create can join in the fun throughout the day. Local sand sculptor Darrell O’Connor will lead the building of a community sculpture. Participants can sign up to lend a hand at the contest registration tent. O’Connor will offer free sand sculpting lessons from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6.
This event is weather dependent. In case of bad weather, setup and registration may be delayed. If bad weather continues, the event will be postponed until the following year. If bad weather occurs during the contest, participants may continue at will or at the discretion of lifeguards. Judging may be cancelled at any time if warranted by weather conditions. Weather updates will be posted to the RBDBCC Facebook page. For recorded updates, call 302-227-2233.
This event is produced by the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce and funded in part by Southern Delaware Tourism. For more information and a complete list of rules, go to www.beach-fun.com.
