Show us your stuff! Put on your artist’s beret, grab your shovel and bucket, and get over to Crown Memorial State Beach on Saturday, June 21, for Alameda’s 57th Annual Sand Castle and Sand Sculpture Contest. It’s free to enter and free to watch.
This is an extremely popular event, so get there by 9 a.m. to snag a good parking place in the main lot (enter at the intersection of Westline and Otis drives). Register to participate at the Bathhouse, from 9 to 11 a.m.
If you want to enjoy the event as a spectator, you’ll have plenty of company. Walk through or beside the Bathhouse to get to the beach. If you want to stake out a spot in the shade, get there early and bring your own beach chairs. There are light refreshments for sale, but feel free to bring your own lunch.
It’s really fun to see the sculptures in progress, so remember that they must be finished by noon, when the judging begins. Last year’s contest featured more than 400 participants, who created 32 amazing sand castles and 59 sand sculptures, using nothing but sand and other materials found on the beach. (See photos from 2024, 2023, and 2022.)…