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Delayne Corbett works on his teams submission to the festival.
Sand falls as Fergus Mulvany sculpts during Siesta Key's Crystal Classic on Saturday.
Emerson Schreiner sculpts his team's submission to the this year's Crystal Classic sand sculpting festival.
Albert Lucio competes against Andy Daily (not pictured) in the Quick Sand competition on Saturday. Lucio and Daily were charged with sculpting an octopus with a hat in under 10 minutes.
Reese Maker stands in front of Jan Zelinka and Rodovan Zivny's submission called "Energy of the Universe."
Chloe Light shows off the hat she made in the children's area earlier that day.
While the professionals worked on their masterpieces, children played in children's play area.
Jillian Haber digs in the pile of sand set aside for children's play.
Attendees of Siesta Key's Crystal Classic were greeted by a large sand sculpture announcing the events sponsors.
Gabriel Guerrero digs in the sand near the amateur sand sculpting area.
Mike and Sue Ziebell dance outside the live music tent.
Charlie Merrill and Alyvia Logan try their hand at sand sculpting in the "Learning Curve" tent. Attendees were offered sand sculpting demonstrations throughout the event.
Sculpture by Steve Topazio and Ron MacDonald.
Sculpture by Bruce Phillips and Maxim Gazendam.
Sculpture by Guy-Oliver Deveau and Emerson Schreiner.
Sculpture by Kirk Rademaker and Matt Long.
Taylor Battie applies a Snapchat filter to Andrius Petkkus and Dmitry Klimenko's submission entitled "In the Kingdom of Edgar Allan Poe."
Sarah Ziebro and James Van Thach admire the master's submissions to the Siesta Key Crystal Classic.
Alex Kharitonenko takes a photo of Andrew, Lucas and Elliana Kharitoneko next to one of the sculptures in the amateur sculpting area.
Jurgita Borrelli poses with her one-year-old son Lucas Borrelli for a photo behind one of the sculptures.
Kira Smith makes a "sand angel" during the Siesta Key Crystal Classic.
Kira Smith puts the finishing touches on her sand angel.
In the rear of MacDonald and Waterman's sculpture is a large castle.
Siesta Key Crystal Classic founder Brian Wigelsworth is often asked what happens if it rains during the annual sand-sculpting festival.
The answer is simple.
“We get wet,” he said.
Twelve teams competed in this year’s festival from countries as far away as Russia. While it may seem counterintuitive, water is vital to the sculptors’ process.
“Water is our glue,” Wigelsworth said. “Once the water dries out it pretty much falls down.”
A master sculptor himself, Wigelsworth created the festival seven years ago after traveling to similar competitions around the world. Siesta's sand is 99% quartz crystal, making it extremely fine — and perfect for sculpting.
“I realized our beach is ideal for sand sculpting...This sand is unique in all the world,” Wigelsworth said. “It is the finest sand in the world and it's only found on this three-mile beach.”
The seventh annual Crystal Classic continues at Siesta Key Public Beach through Tuesday, but the main event concluded yesterday with the announcement of the winner of the master sand sculpting competition.
This year, the honor went to Abram Waterman and Walter MacDonald for their sculpture entitled “Sneak Peek.” The piece depicts a large portrait of MacDonald with two children peeking through his eyes to a sand castle in the rear of the sculpture, according to a statement from Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
“You can look through there and see what I’m thinking,” MacDonald said.
MacDonald said he was participated in the festival for since the beginning, but this is his first time winning the competition.
“...The event is so good that winning isn’t the most important thing, but this is my first time winning first prize, so hallelujah,” MacDonald said.
Although residents have until 5 p.m. tomorrow to enjoy the festival, event staff is already reporting that attendance greatly exceeded that of last year’s event.
Wigelsworth said the Crystal Classic is special in that it's only one of a handful of competitions that utilize their beach's natural sand, as opposed to bringing sand in from quarries or rivers. After the last visitor leaves tomorrow, it will be time to return that sand to the beach.
A front loader will be brought in and the works of art will be knocked down. Although some might think it would be difficult to destroy the masterpieces, Wigelsworth said it's just part of the process.
“We are temporal artists,” Wigelsworth said. “We know our art is temporary. We actually enjoy that aspect of it.”
