Rehoboth-Dewey Chamber to hold annual Sandcastle Contest Aug. 2
The Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the 36th Annual Sandcastle Contest Saturday, Aug. 2. More than 100 teams are expected to express their artistic flair. Past creations have included a breakfast meal, Funland rides, pyramids, dolphins, olympic athletes and of course traditional sandcastles. Beachgoers who would rather watch than work are welcome to view the incredible creations upon their completion beginning at 3 p.m. free of charge.
The contest will be held at Fisherman’s Beach at the north end of the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, near the Henlopen Hotel. The contest is open to both adults and children. Sculptures may be started at any time on the day of competition, but must be completed for judging by 3 p.m. Participants may register their entry anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Winners will be announced at approximately 5. Judges are volunteers for the chamber.
Chamber business members are encouraged to compete in the business category and represent their company in the sand. Entries will be judged on these categories: Structural Engineering, Use of Materials, Imagination,, Overall Aesthetic Appeal, and Representation of Business. The winning business will receive a trophy and bragging rights for the entire year.
Sculpting demonstrations Aug. 1
Sand sculpting artist Darrell O’Connor will give sculpting demonstrations and lessons from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 1, on the beach at Rehoboth Avenue & the Boardwalk.
O’Connor will begin work on a community sculpture at 10 a.m. Saturday. Spectators can assist him with this creation; two assistants will be allowed in the sculpting zone on a rotating basis every 15 minutes. The sculpture will be completed by 3 p.m.
Registered teams will have the opportunity to purchase event T-shirts at a discounted rate of $5 per shirt.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 Judge’s Favorites in both the adult and 7-14 child divisions. One Judge’s Favorite award will be given in the Business category. Special awards will be given to all participants in the 6 & under child’s division.
Two People’s Chioce Awards will be given during this year’s contest. The general public can vote on their favorite Adult and Child division creations by completing an event evaluation. All regular contest rules apply.
Rules
Participants will be divided into four divisions: Business, Adult (15 and older), Child 7-14, and Child 6 and under. There is no limit to the number of participants per team. Participants may not be on multiple teams. Piles of sand must be formed by manpower only. Mechanized assistance is not allowed. To be judged, creations must be built within placed feather flag boundaries. The sand sculptures must contain only objects natural to the beach (shells, stones, seaweed, etc). Participants must stay away from the dunes and dune grass. Sculptures may not be dampened or sprayed with any solutions other than water; in other words: no sticky stuff. Sculptures must be finished by 3 p.m..
This event is weather dependent. In the event of bad weather, setup and registration may be delayed up until 10:30 a.m.. If bad weather continues, this 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 current weather conditions.
For more information, call the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce at 302-227-6446 or visit www.beach-fun.com.
