CONTACT:

Carol Zahorsky
Public Relations for Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau
360.446.3645
carol-at-zahorskypr.com

OR

LONG BEACH PENINSULA, Wash. – June 2009 – Shovels in hand and buckets ready, families, friends and professional sand artists will be poised to race the tides on July 18 at SandSations, the Long Beach Peninsula’s annual sand creations extravaganza.

As the tide recedes at noon, registered groups will have just five hours to build their most fantastic imagined or borrowed themed creations – mermaids, dragons, sandcastles, buried treasures, and more – using piles of sand and buckets of sea water in their marked off 20 by 20-foot site. The building takes place at the shoreline adjacent to the Long Beach boardwalk, near the Bolstad beach approach.

For those interested in learning how sand sculptures are created or wanting to brush up on skills for Saturday’s competition, master sculptors will share trade secrets at a workshop on Friday, July 17, from 3 to 5PM, at the Bolstad beach approach.

At 5PM, as the tides begin to rise, the judges will vote on the best in five categories – master, intermediate, novice, family and children – for overall appearance, creativity, teamwork, effort and intricacy. People’s Choice and Mayor’s Choice honors as well as cash prizes will also be awarded. For all categories except Masters, the event is free, although a donation of $1 per child is suggested.

Same place, same day, at 2:30 PM, visitors are invited to watch or enter the 7th annual Sand Flea Pet Parade sponsored by the South Pacific County Humane Society. All pets are welcome to this free event and prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories. All day, beachgoers can enjoy free hot dogs served by the Long Beach Kiwanis.

Long Beach is Washington’s quintessential beach town with access to 20 miles of wide sandy beach, a one-half mile long boardwalk, the eight-mile bicycle and pedestrian-friendly Discovery Trail, two historic lighthouses, wildlife refuges, as well as state and national parks. Browse kite and collectibles shops, one-of-a-kind museums, galleries, and the Clam Pan pocket park. Enjoy childhood treats – cotton candy, double scoops of ice cream and salt water taffy. Oceanview and waterfront lodging and great places to eat round out the mix. For event and destination information, call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 1-800-451-2542 or access www.funbeach.com.

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NOTE TO MEDIA: Images available at http://www.funbeach.com/pressroom/index.html, in the photo library under “Festivals and Events” on the bottom of page 2 and on page 3. If you need assistance, please call Carol at 360.481.1752. Thank you!