Check it out
• The World Championship of Sand Sculpting runs 10 a.m. to dusk Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Hillside Plaza parking lot, 31510 20th Ave. S. (near the Federal Way Transit Center). Follow the signs from the South 320th Street exit off Interstate 5.
• Cost is $8.50 for an adult day pass or $6.50 for seniors and children. Season and family passes are also available. Visit www.worldchampionshipofsandsculpting.com to learn more.
• From Sept. 15-17, the cost for members of the armed forces (active or retired) is $5 with a military ID and $5 for the military spouse (their children will be admitted free).
• Click here for the latest weather forecast.
The schedule
• Sept. 8-11: Doubles competition. Each team of two will have six hours to pound two semi-loads of sand into forms from which to start carving. From that point, the teams will have 22 hours of time between Sept. 9-11 to finish their sculptures.
• Week of Sept. 12: Master sculptors will carve display sculptures in the gallery.
• Sept. 15-18: Solo and team competitions. Teams with an average of five members each, alongside solo competitors, will shovel and compact sand in preparation for sculpting the rest of the week.
• Sept. 18: Judging and awards ceremony. A panel of international sculptors (three American, one Swiss and one Russian) will judge the sculptures, with awards issued at an invitation-only ceremony.
• Sept. 19 to Oct. 3: Meet the masters. This is an opportunity for spectators and tour groups to meet sculptors as they work in galleries.
• Special displays: The event will feature a tribute to talk show host Oprah Winfrey as well as a tribute to military veterans, MIA/POWs and active duty personnel. The latter sculpture is associated with Rolling Thunder, a national organization dedicated to veterans’ causes.
• Food and vendors will be available.
