Sand sculptors travel from around the world to San Diego for world class event

Morgan M. Hurley | Downtown Editor

There are only about a dozen major sand-sculpting events in the entire world, and one of the best of those events is held every year right here in San Diego over Labor Day weekend.

Held for many years in Imperial Beach on the sand, today’s U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exposition is held on the B Street Pier, located 1140 N. Harbor Dr., Downtown.

This is the third year at the new location, and despite a great deal of construction last year along the Embarcadero, the event went off without a hitch.

“I think the best thing about last year were the sculptures and the sculptors,” said Gordon Summer, co-director of the event with his wife Joyce. “The sculptures were amazing and the sculptors, it’s just a wonderful bunch of people. They’re from all over the world and it’s kind of like a little community. They all know each other.”

Summer said though there will be a little construction still visible along Pacific Highway, officials have told him that the area from the B Street Pier south to Broadway will be completely clear.

New last year was the addition of the 3D Art Expo, which brought dozens of metal, wood, glass, clothing and fine jewelry artists together  to sell their wares to attendees after they had meandered through the sand sculptures. This year the expo expects over 1,000 works of art and other media.

Also returning are the popular food trucks, and the huge sandbox where younger kids can frolic to their heart’s content.

New this year is a beer garden, the first introduction of alcohol vendors to the event since the move to B Street Pier. Run by the San Diego Athletic League, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it will be open all four days of the event and restricted to 21+.

Gates open at 9 a.m. every day and the live entertainment starts at 11 a.m., with a full lineup that changes every hour. Some of the entertainment includes: Rob Thorsen, Gilbert Castellanos, Ruby and the Red Hots, Bill Caballero, Jay and Janet and more.

For those who like to see the masters in action, it is recommended to get there on Thursday to see their masterpieces coming to life. They’ll have started their sculptures the day before and must complete them no later than 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Friday is Military Appreciation Day, sponsored by the Stacy Werner of Inslider Food Truck. Active military with identification and up to three family members are free. The rest of the weekend military will get $3 off tickets.

Gordon Kohl will honor the military attendees on stage while performing military-inspired music from 2 – 4 p.m.

Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, the event closes at 7 p.m. but on Saturday night, the gates stay open until 10 p.m.

On Saturday, the Cool Carvers — three sculptors to a team — will compete from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Also on Saturday, starting at 4 p.m., Council President Todd Gloria will be presenting the awards to the World Masters, where $60,000 is at stake this year.

All the World Masters are returning from last year and but they have a couple new ones, since a couple of the masters that competed last year are now working with the event to manage the sand sculpting challenge.

The “World Masters” competing in the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge are the best in the world and considered celebrities throughout the sand sculpting circuit. A couple days prior to the event, this year’s world masters will be celebrated by organizers, and state and local officials at an undisclosed location.

This year’s competitor’s are again from all over the world.

Helena Bangert of the Netherlands has been sculpting since 2000. She’s won various first and second-place events around the world.

Melineige Beuregard of Quebec, Canada has been a sculptor since 2001. Beauregard is a grand champion of a “quicksand” competition in Sarasota, Florida. She also has won several other top awards.

Michela Ciappini of Italy started sculpting in 2003. She won a first place doubles in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2012.

Rusty Croft of Carmel, California was the grand prize winner in San Diego’s World Master’s Classic in 2012. He is a co-host of Sand Masters on the Travel Channel.

New Jersey native John Gowdy now calls Italy home, and has been playing with sand since 1990. He has numerous first place awards as both an amateur and a pro around the world.

Chris Guinto, of Key West, Florida, picked up sculpting in 2000 and is married to an award-winning master sculptor. This is Guinto’s first appearance in San Diego and the first participant from the East Coast.

Joris Kivits is also from the Netherlands and began sculpting in 2006. He has competed all over the world in singles and doubles.

Sandis Kondrats is from Latvia and has been sculpting since 2001. Kondrats also was a grand prize winner in San Diego last year.

Sue McGrew has been sculpting since high school in Tacoma, Washington. She is one of the youngest professional sculptors.

Fergus Mulvaney of Dublin, Ireland has been sculpting since 1993. He took second place last year in San Diego.

Bruce Phillips has been sculpting with sand for over 20 years. He won best masters sculpture here in San Diego in 2013.

Kirk Rademaker hails from Stinson Beach, California and has been a sand sculptor since 1997. He has 9 World Master awards under his belt.

JOOheng Tan of Singapore has been sculpting since 2000 and 2014 is his debut in San Diego. He is traveling further than any other world master to participate.

Organizers of the event are encouraging attendees to use public transportation. To facilitate this, MTS has partnered with the USSSC.

“This is at least our third year supporting the event,” said Rob Schupp, MTS representative. “MTS gets involved in partnerships like this where it makes sense for riders to come to the events and to avoid parking and driving hassles.

“What I look for in a partner is someone who is really wiling to push the transit alternative for people who are attending their event and [Joyce and Gordon] do an exceptional job of letting people know that riding the trolley or the buses to downtown to come to this event makes a lot of sense, and they provide our riders a $3 discount if they show their ticket at the window so it’s a really great partnership and they do all they can to support transit.”

Back again from last year are the children’s rides, although there will be no zip line this year. Expect Bubble Fun and Euro Bungy both back by popular demand, however.

Out of towners or those making the trek from North County can stay at The Sofia Hotel, a boutique hotel located at 150 W. Broadway. The Sofia is offering special rates to sand sculpting attendees. Visit their website at thesofiahotelcom or call them at 619-234-9200 and make sure you mention the sand sculpting event.

Each year organizers take a portion of the proceeds and make a donation to several local younth- centered organizations: Young Audiences of San Diego/Arts for Learning; All About the Kids; The Maritime Museum’s Children’s Education Fund; and the local Friends of the SPCA.

“People came up to us and told us how fantastic last year’s event was,” said Joyce Summer, co-director. “People are still talking about it. It’s a nice family event and a breath of fresh air for San Diego.”

The US Sand Sculpting Challenge and 3D Art Exposition takes place Aug. 29 through Sept. 1 at the B Street Pier, located at 1140 N. Harbor Dr., Downtown. Tickets are available online and discounts are available in newspapers throughout San Diego. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit ussandsculpting.com.