November 8 – November 12th, 2012
Siesta Key Beach, Sarasota FL
Recently named America’s #1 Beach, the Crystal Classic has become a favorite of the professional sand sculptors who have competed here. Citing the beauty and cleanliness of the pristine white sand, sculptors have remarked that their sculptures look almost as if they were “carved in marble.” The artists who compete in the yearly event travel to Siesta Beach from all over the world representing Canada, Holland, The Netherlands, Latvia, Germany, Portugal, Singapore, England and the United States.
In only 24 sculpting hours, (spanning the four day event), the master sculptors create sand masterpieces, some over ten feet tall, and transform the always beautiful Siesta Beach into an outdoor art gallery. The Crystal Classic connects the arts and the beach in ways never before seen in Sarasota.
Cost and Time:
Thursday- Monday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., $5 per person and $10 per family (bands are good for all 4 days of the event). Proceeds benefit the Mote Marine Laboratory Sea Turtle Conservation and Research program.
Parking:
Siesta Beach parking is limited so parking at Phillippi Estate Park on U.S. Rt. 41 (Tamiami Trail) provides shuttle service to Siesta Beach from 8:30 – 5:30pm.
Event Schedule:
Competition takes place Thursday through Sunday, with Monday as a final day to view the sculptures. Other schedule events include
· Live Music on the beach – All day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
· Food and retail vendors – Lots of great food from local restaurants!
· Environmental Education by Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium – Learn about sea life and get up close and personal through special touch tanks.
· Quick Sand – Speed Sculpting competitions during the evening – See your favorite sculptor create a work-of-art from a pile of sand in 10 minutes.
· …and much much more
For the full event schedule, visit http://www.crystalsand.org/event-info/event-schedule