Have you heard of the annual Crystal Classic International Sand Sculpting Festival on Siesta Key? It’s an amazing weekend event which showcases the immense talents of a variety of sculpture artists, known internationally for their stunning work. We have Sarasota local and Master Sculpture, Brian Wigelsworth, to thank for inciting the Siesta Key event for the first time back in 2010. The competition now brings over 60,000 tourists to the area and is host to a variety of musicians and businesses as well. It’s good for the community and it’s a wonderful way to support artists and enjoy the treasured beach. The festival is perfect for a family outing, a day out with friends, or an altogether solo experience. There is no wrong way to approach the weekend other than to miss it. The 2018 festival runs from Friday, November 9th through Monday the 12th and you can find the schedule of events, here.
Each year, the sand-sculpture artists pair up in teams of two, or work individually, during the weekend competition, where they create unimaginable works of art with the pure, white quartz crystal sand. Each artist or duo has an allotted time and space to create their magic which can be watched in full by beachgoers (with tickets) throughout the entire artistic process. Watching each artist work is spellbinding, captivating and impressive – to say the least!
There are several wonderful vendors for your shopping pleasure, an array of food trucks, libations, and a range of impressive live music throughout the entire festival experience. Sculpting teachers also offer live sand sculpture demonstrations, (at the Learning Curve tent) mini-classes and competitions for kids and adults alike. There’s even an amateur scultping competition if you’re ready to give your own ‘sandcastle’ skills a try! The 3-day festival culminates with an award ceremony and a final display of beautiful sculptures colorfully lit under the evening sky.
If you haven’t purchased your tickets for the event, you can do so here. There are multi-day and individual ticket options available. If you have questions about accessibility, please click here for more information. We’re proud to be sponsors of this event and hope all in our community (and beyond) get as much joy out of the experience as each of us. We’re rooting for all of the sculptors and hope to see you this weekend. It is sure to be spectacular!
