39th Annual Sandcastle Contest

CHAMBER ANNOUNCES THE 39th ANNUAL SANDCASTLE CONTEST

START YOUR WEEKEND WITH FREE SCULPTING LESSONS ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH – Sand sculpting artist Darrell O’Connor will be on the beach at Rehoboth Avenue & the Boardwalk, 5 – 7 PM on Friday, September 8th giving FREE sculpting demonstrations & lessons.  Learn some skills, then put them to the test during the competition on Saturday!

Join the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce (RBDBCC) for the 39th Annual Sandcastle Contest on Saturday, September 9, 2017.  Teams will express their artistic flair in the sand; past creations include a breakfast meal, Funland rides, Pyramids, Dolphins, Olympic athletes and of course traditional sandcastles. Beachgoers who would rather watch than create are welcome to view the incredible creations upon their completion beginning at 3:00 PM free of charge.  

The contest will be held on the beach between Brooklyn Ave. and Hickman St. in Rehoboth Beach, DE.  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 3:00 PM.  Participants may register their entry anytime between 8:30 AM and 2:30 PM.  Winners will be announced at approximately 5:00 PM.  Judges are volunteers for RBDBCC.

Children under 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult when registering for competition.  The Chamber encourages young participants 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 the avoidance of political/controversial themes.

RBDBCC Business Members are encouraged to compete in the business category-- represent your company in the sand!  Entries will be judged on “Structural Engineering,” “Use of Materials,” “Imagination,”, “Overall Aesthetic Appeal”, as well as “Representation of Business.”  The winning business will receive a trophy and bragging rights for the entire year!

COMMUNITY SCUPLTURE – Darrell O’Connor will lead the building of a community sculpture through the day!  Participants can sign up to lend a hand at the contest registration tent.

TROPHIES, TROPHIES, & MORE TROPHIES - Trophies will be awarded to the top ten (10) Judge’s Favorites in both the adult and 7-14 child divisions.  One (1) Judge’s Favorite will be awarded in the Business category.  Two (2) People’s Choice Awards will be given during this year’s contest.  The general public can vote on their favorite ADULT and CHILD division creation, by completing an event evaluation.  All regular contest rules apply.

FREE KIDS’ SAND ART ACTIVITY – Children are invited to create a sand art keepsake on the beach to commemorate their contest experience!  Kids’ can create their sand art under the RBDBCC tent on the beach at Brooklyn Ave. on contest day (Saturday, September 9, 2017) between noon and 4 PM.  There is no charge for this activity, donations are welcome.

THE 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 3:00 PM.

This event is WEATHER DEPENDENT.  In the event of bad weather, set up and registration may be delayed up until 10:30 AM.  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 anytime if warranted by weather conditions.

This event is produced by the Rehoboth Beach – Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce and funded in part by Southern Delaware Tourism.  For more information, call the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce at (302) 227 – 6446 or visit the Chamber website at www.beach-fun.com.