Building Castles in the Sand
by Zoë Kirsch
Saturday, August 16, hundreds, even thousands, will flock to Jetties Beach to create and admire art...in the sand. The Annual Sandcastle and Sculpture contest, organized by the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and the Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (NISDA), is the ideal family event. Whether you want to be an artist or a spectator, you won't want to miss this!
The rules are as follows: “Tools and building aids, ornaments, and decorations all may be used, but none are supplied. Contestants are urged to work with biodegradable items and must take away any non-biodegradable items used. Contestants must register beforehand. Contestants may enter in one of the four categories: Family Team, Adult Team, 11-16 Year Olds and 10 & Under.” The price to have a ball on the beach? Just a $5 entry fee!
Kathy Kelm of NISDA put the concept in motion thirty-five years ago. Back then, however, it was a private event with about five families. “My husband and I were here with young kids and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be fun if we had a potluck picnic and built sandcastles?'” The group's inspiration? “It was basically the thought of something that was an old fashioned pleasure, being in nature and enjoying each other,” she says simply.
It was a fantastic concept, the testament of which was when the contest began to grow...“The first year it was just a few families...then it was ten...it grew to the point that it was so huge to do that we went to the chamber and said, 'This is a real event! Would you do the registration if we present it?'”
Now, the numbers of attendees are huge and still growing! The Chamber of Commerce promises, “over fifty sculptures.” And there will be even more. Kelm says there are usually about sixty to seventy sandcastle sculptures alone. Seven hundred people participate, and about two thousand spectators come through during the day! Some choose to view the sculptures in the evening during the sunset.
At the Contest, ingeniousness abounds. “Incredible sea monsters..” Kelm starts, when asked about the most unusual sand sculptures she's seen over the years, “Nude sculptures, cars, Christmas themed sculptures, Escher-like sculptures. We had one of those that was a huge spiral, 12 feet in diameter, and eight feet tall.”
With so much talent present, how do the judges – a group of guest artists and NISDA faculty - make their final decision? “Judging is difficult,” sighs Kelm. “It's a rigorous job, not easy.” Ultimately, the choice comes down to “creativity, concept, and design.”
It is clear, however, that the event's objective is not to focus on who is the best, but rather the joy people of all ages gain from using their ingenuity. All participants receive a ribbon and, “People with no art training feel very good about creating with the sand,” explains Kelm. Tracy Bakalar, Executive Director at the Chamber of Commerce, gives her opinion of the event in a nutshell: “I think it's all about the creativity on both sides. People get really excited about what they'll create, calling it something fun, making it unique. They have real pride. People who see it, too, are so amazed, they say 'Gosh! How'd they think of that?' This day exudes creativity and a sense of fun!” Concludes Kelm, “It is really something.”
Want in on the fun? Register at the Chamber Office, Zero Main Street. Registration ends at 12:00 pm on Friday August 15.
