Parksville Beach Festival Society has unveiled a list of sculptors who will compete in the first event since 2019. The festival runs from July 14 to July 17 and is open to the public on July 15. (File photo)

World invited back to Parksville beach as sandcastles poised to make a return

May 15, 2022 // by PQB News Staff

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Parksville Beach Festival Society has unveiled a list of seven teams and 15 individual sand sculptors who will compete in its first event since 2019 as part of the community’s Beachfest celebrations.

Competing teams include: Seveline Beauregard and Guy Beauregard, Sue McGrew and Dmitry Kilmenko, Fred Dobbs and Ted Siebert, Susanne Ruseler and David Ducharme, Edith van de Wetering and Wilfred Stijger, Abe Waterman and Joris Kivits, and Brian Wigelsworth and Matt Long.

Competing solo are: Guy-Olivier Deveau, David Kaube, Jo Hollick, Bruce Waugh, Yoshiko Matsugi, Peter Vogelaar, Damon Langlois, Francisco Valdez, Brett Stocker, Craig Mutch, Dan Belcher, Matthew Deibert, Sandi Stirling, Bert Adams and Andrei Kudrin.

Parksville is known within the sculpting circuit for its hospitality and beautiful location, the society says.

The sand sculpting is part of the larger event known to locals as Beachfest, a five-week long family festival running from mid-July to mid-August that includes: the Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition & Exhibition; Tim Hortons free Summer Concert Series,; daily buskers, an artisan market and a special weekend evening light-up of the sculptures.

For the popular sand sculpting competition, the society sends out open invitations to past competitors, in addition to any lesser-known sculptors who have expressed interest. The top three singles and doubles from the previous year receive an automatic entry into the following year’s competition. The competitors’ travel, meals and accommodation are paid for, on top of an appearance fee.

A number of the sculptors will be featured on the second season of CBC’s Race Against the Tide on July 10.

The sculpture festival runs from July 14 to July 17 and is open to the public on July 15. Sculptures remain open for viewing through to Aug. 21.

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