Wholesome Activity Alert: The Point Reyes Sand Sculpture Contest Is This Saturday

Maybe one of your children is a budding sculptor. Maybe you’re a member of a rare family that knows how to work together as a team and wants to be smug about it in a public setting. Maybe your idea of self-care is crawling around on the shoreline and exorcising your demons via the medium of building sand castles. Or maybe none of those things apply to you and you just want to see some cool art made out of the beach.

If you fall into any of the above categories, you should probably get up bright and early this weekend and head to the Point Reyes Sand Sculpture Contest on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Now in its 42nd year, this most wholesome of competitions asks members of the public to unleash sandy sculptures on Drake’s Beach. Accessorizing those creations is permitted, but only using objects found on the shoreline. There are three main contest categories — kids aged 14 and under, adults, and families. There is also a fourth prize awarded for the “People’s Choice” sculpture.

Previous participants recommend that competitors arrive armed with a variety of tools to aid in the sculpting process. These include shovels, leveling tools, forks, paint brushes, trowels and buckets. A blogger named Ronnie who’s won prizes at Point Reyes says, “The secret to a great sand sculpture lies in wet sand and compaction.” As such, she suggests bringing along at least one squirt bottle.

Hosted by the National Park Service with prizes provided by the Point Reyes National Seashore Association, registration for the sand sculpture contest begins at 9 a.m., judges spring into action at noon, and final prizes are awarded at 3 p.m. May your tools stay sharp and your eyeballs sand-free.

The Point Reyes Sand Sculpture Contest begins at Drake’s Beach at 9 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2024. Check the National Park Service website for more details.