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A recreation of Windsor Castle made entirely of sand on June 11, 2009.

Held at Belmont Shore in Long Beach, this free two-day festival celebrates the community while simultaneously works to make Long Beach a better place. This year there will be sand sculptures, grand prizes, food and drink vendors, arts and crafts, live music, and parties. Brought to you by Rotaract Long Beach and Alfredo's Beach Club, the goal of this event is to bring together neigh­bor­hood groups, local businesses,and corporations for an exciting demonstration of beach-goer's artistic abilities. Donations from this year's contest goes to LINC Cares.

LINC Cares is a non-profit organization that provides services for low-income seniors, working families and people with special needs who live in LINC Housing apartment communities. The direct services and referrals come at no cost to address their financial, social, educational and health needs.

Last year's festival had over ten thou­sand people in attendance and raised over $2,500 for Miller Children’s Hospital. This year's event is expected to bring in even greater numbers of attendees and participants. The 80th Annual Great Sand Sculpture Contest will feature a range of talent, from professional sand sculptors to corporate teams to those building their very first sculpture. Contest entries are judged on how unique the sculpture is, the difficulty of the construction, display, and concept. If you have kids, there will be a kid zone at the event in which kids can build their own sandcastles and play interactive games.

If you wish to participate in this year's competition, registration is free. If you would like to be involved in other ways, you can fill out the corresponding forms.

Price:
Free

Time:
August 11 — 10 AM to 4 PM
August 12 — 10 AM to 2 PM

Location:
Granada Beach
1 Granada Ave.,
Long Beach, CA 90803

For more information, please visit the official website.