35th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Competition--It was Beacherific

Beach sand spurs an irresistible creative urge in us to dig into it and shape it into whatever our imaginations can conjure up. Local sand lovers gathered once again on the Isle of Palms for the 35th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Competition to satisfy that compelling urge all in the name of fun, while a large crowd of observers enjoyed the spectacle as they roamed through the rows of sand art with cameras and cell phones in hand taking pictures. The competition began at 9:00 am and prizes were awarded at 1:00 pm.

The judges, which included Rob Fowler and Grace Lowe of News 2, Brendan Clark and Carolyn Murray, had the honor of picking the winners, and with all the great entries, it was a difficult task. As to having a great time, everyone was a winner.

Categories Included:

Adult (21 and up)

Family (1 adult and 1 child/young adult)

Young Adult (Ages 15-20)

Children's (14 and under)

Teams were limited to four people.

Prizes were awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each age division along with Best Architectural, Most Creative and Overall Best in Show.

Last year's winners were Island Tails for Best of Children's, Speedo 07 for Best of Young Adults, Pout Pout for Charlie Peberdy Memorial Award - Best of Family, Charleston Drip Company for Best Architectural, Seal of Approval for Most Creative, Vintage Since 1978 for Best of Adults, and Once Upon A Time for Best of Show - Overall.

This year's winners are Wish Upon a Star for Best of Children's, King Fu Wave for Best of Young Adults, Sea Bisquit for Charlie Peberdy Memorial Award - Best of Family, Giant Castle by the Sea for Best Architectural, Big Al for Most Creative, Saving Money for Best of Adults, and Riverdogs Days of Summer for Best of Show - Overall.

My favorite

Enjoy the pictures of this year's sand sculptures, both artistic and humorous. Which was your favorite?

34th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Competition--It was Sandtastic

Every time I vacation on a beach, I can't help myself. I have an irresistible urge to dig around in the sand and sculpt something, usually hammerheads or sea turtles. One time, I sculpted a human head with its hands sticking out of the sand. I added seaweed for hair and etched in the sand the words, "Help me." A couple walking along the shore stopped and asked me if I did it for a living and whether I worked for the resort as a sand sculptor. I slyly smiled and said no.

Sand sculpting contests have been a long standing tradition for one of Charleston's barrier islands, where sun and beach lovers gathered once again on the sands of that barrier island for the 34th Annual Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Competition. Front Beach, on the Isle of Palms, is the famed sandy shore where it all takes place. I have been taking pictures of the event since 2011.

 

It was high tide when the competition began at 9 am, so the transforming sand piles were stretched across the beach for a good distance from near the pier on down far beyond Coconut Joes, where the main tent was set up and awards handed out to the chosen.

Competitor divisions included children ages 14 and under; young adult, 15 to 20; family - at least one adult and one child or young adult; and adult, 21 and older. Prizes were awarded to the top three in each category, along with the additional judged categories of Most Creative, Best Architectural and Best in Show. Judges included News 2's Carolyn Murray, Rob Fowler, and Brendan Clark.

List of winners in each category are as follows:

Best of Children's

1st – Site T – Island Tails

2nd – Site S – Feeling Fintastic on IOP

3rd – Site II – Just Chum

Best of Young Adults

1st – Site M – Speedo 07

Charlie Peberdy Memorial Award – Best of Family

1st – Site GG – Pout Pout

2nd – Site 29 – Will you Calamarry Me?

3rd – Site CC – Mama Sea Turtle and her Babies

Best Architectural

1st – Site A – Charleston Drip Company

2nd – Site 33 – Castle James

3rd – Site 27 – The Bridge

Most Creative

1st – Site I – Seal of Approval

2nd – Site Q – Coach Potatopus

3rd – Site C – Save the Bees

Best of Adults

1st – Site H – Vintage Since 1978

2nd – Site 24 – Wiley Coyote

3rd – Site J – MC Octs 2023

Best of Show – Overall

Site FF – Once Upon A Time

Enjoy the pictures.

Home of Charleston's Sand Sculpting Contest--The Ever Popular Beach Mecca, Isle of Palms

It was the first beach I stayed at when vacationing in the Charleston area. A famous inlet separating it from a neighboring island is my favorite place to kayak at low tide. Sand islands appear offshore, where you can park to hang out and watch the kite surfers on a breezy day. The island is called the IOP by locals, and the inlet is Breach Inlet.

The Isle of Palms boasts seven miles of wide, pristine beaches great for swimming, lounging, fishing, biking, and kayaking. An equal amount of estuary waters connected to the Intracoastal waterway grace its backside like an unconquerable maze. It is an excellent place for kayaking and paddleboarding.

Once a year, the island's main stretch of sand called Front Beach is transformed into an ocean art show when it hosts the ever-popular Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Contest. It was the 33rd year for the event, and News2's Rob Fowler has been a regular judge through those years.

Participants include teams of families and individuals, children and adults from all over the Lowcountry. Hundreds of happy beach-goers strolled back and forth for three hours to watch the transformations rise from the sand, attempting to guess the object and the theme of the sculpture. The overall winner of the contest this year was a play on words and a sign of our times, Pain in the Gas. Congratulations to everyone who participated. Enjoy the pictures.