Nantucket Sandcastle Contest
PHOTOS BY BILL HOENK
Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (NISDA) held its 47th sandcastle contest at Jetties Beach on Saturday, drawing over 50 contestants and dozens of spectators. Kathy Kelm, director of NISDA, got the idea for the contest as she gathered with a group of friends on the beach to have a picnic and to build sandcastles. Over the decades, the contest has grown to become a treasured summer event on the island.
The judges—local artists, educators, lecturers, and NISDA faculty—evaluated contestants’ creations based on three categories: creativity, concept, and design. They looked specifically for the use of natural decorations like shells, rocks, seaweed, beach grass, and other materials indigenous to the island. Judges also stressed the significance of avoiding non-beach friendly objects that could harm the island’s fragile ecosystem.
The judges—local artists, educators, lecturers, and NISDA faculty—evaluated contestants’ creations based on three categories: creativity, concept, and design. They looked specifically for the use of natural decorations like shells, rocks, seaweed, beach grass, and other materials indigenous to the island. Judges also stressed the significance of avoiding non-beach friendly objects that could harm the island’s fragile ecosystem.
After four hours of sand sculpting, the judges awarded first, second, and third place ribbons to each of the three age groups. The youth category received a ribbon for their sculpture called the Birdcastle. For the adult category, a sculpture of a whale with a boat on its back known as Nantucket Sleighride won the top ribbon. But the real winner of the day was T-Rex, a sand castle shaped like the jaws of a tyrannosaurus rex, which received the first-place ribbon in the family category and the coveted grand-prize ribbon, beating out all other sandcastles in any category.
