Sanding Ovations Returns to the Beach

A mand and a woman hugging in front of a sand sculpture on the beach — Joy Serini and Mark Smith hug in front of a sculpture of laughing children at Treasure Island’s Sanding Ovation on Saturday, November, 21. Photo by Laura Mulrooney.

Thank goodness for Treasure Island’s sprawling beach. The outdoor landscape allowed for Treasure Island’s 12th Annual Sanding Ovations festival, themed “Sandhenge,” to go on as planned November 19 through 22, just behind the Bilmar Beach Resort.

Like many events this year, it almost didn’t happen.

However, with plentiful handwashing stations and sanitizer, portalets replaced by trailers with running water, and Space Force volunteers enforcing CDC guidelines, the show went off without a hitch.

Due to travel restrictions, the festival wasn’t an international sand sculpture competition, but an exhibit crafted by those who were able to partake. Nine sculptors from North America – as far as Canada and Washington state and Massachusetts – and all over Florida turned Treasure Island into a paleolithic wonderland.

But COVID-19 wasn’t the only obstacle this year.

An abstract sand sculpture on the beach — Peatcasso shows off in art class with this sculpture of a voluptuous, lady cyclops. Photo by Laura Mulrooney.

Copious flooding from Tropical Storm Eta, which hit Gulf Coast shores Wednesday, November 11, also threatened the sculptors’ natural canvass; luckily the water receded in time for the show to go on.

Over the event’s four days, artists, vendors and visitors took to the beach to enjoy the beautiful weather, gorgeous sunsets and the amazing gifts of nine unique artists, with plenty of space to spare.

The City of Treasure Island will keep the sculptures up until the New Year, weather permitting.

Artists featured:

Deb Barrett- Cutulle- Saugus, MA

Mélineige Beauregard- Montreal, CAN

Manuel Campos- Jacksonville, FL

Meredith Carson-Doubleday- Treasure Island, FL

Dan Doubleday- Treasure Island, FL

Sue McGrew- Tacoma, WA

Damon Meri- Indian Rocks Beach, FL

Bruce Phillips- San Diego, CA

Abe Waterman- PEI, CAN

A wooly mammoth sand sculpture on the beach at sunset — “This sculpture depicts William ‘Wille’ Mammoot the Third, the most celebrated mammoth jockey of all time. Well known for all his innovations in the field of mammoth racing. Some historians even argue that the wooly mammoth was in fact named after Willie himself,” reads the stone in front of the sculpture of a seven-foot-tall wooly mammoth. Who are we to argue facts written in stone?Photo by Laura Mulrooney.

A woman next to a sand sculpture at night. — Summer Williams knows to keep close to the “Stonehenge Fire Department” as she puffs on her vape. Photo by Laura Mulrooney.

A sand sculpture of a large human head with long hair — Photo by Laura Mulrooney.

An abstract sand sculpture on the beach at sunset — “The Henge” tracks the sun and celestial events. Weather permitting, visitors can use it to mark the winter solstice on Monday, December 21. Photo by Laura Mulrooney.

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