By Scott D. Johnston
The 14th edition of the Sand &Sawdust Festival celebrates two defining elements of the life and legacy of this area as it takes center stage across Ocean Shores this weekend.
Produced by the Ocean Shores North Beach Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Rich Hartman’s Five Star Dealerships and Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, the popular event offers free family fun and fascination as well.
The sand part of the event largely takes place on the beach south of the Chance a La Mer approach, with professional, semi-amateur and amateur classes of sand sculpting competition. Sign-up is from 6 to 7 a.m. Saturday with the actual sand artistry taking shape from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. In addition, free sand sculpting lessons will be offered all three days in the Convention Center parking lot.
“Whether you’ve done it 50 times or this is your first time, we’ve got your spot on the beach,” event planner Dianne Hansen said. Participation is free. Last year saw three pro teams and seven others, plus an estimated 8,000 spectators on the beach.
Beginning Thursday morning, sand sculptor Jim Butler will be at Oyhut Bay, using something not allowed in the actual competition — glue — to help create a piece that should last 2-3 weeks before it becomes part of a sand volleyball court.
The sawdust aspect of the event celebrates not only the huge role that timber has played in the region’s economic history, but also the intersection of industry and aesthetics that has created the unique art form of chainsaw carving.
Hansen said she expects as many as 25 carvers this year, up from 17 a year ago. Attendees can watch pieces being carved, meet the artists, then bid on their work each afternoon. Live auctions are planned at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
The event has added an element that some may not notice, but that Hansen said many carvers are excited about. They have arranged for a big timber “slab cutter” to be on-site. She said this will make it much easier, and thus more likely, for carvers to make benches, because working from a pre-cut slab (in this case, old-growth cedar), eliminates a lot of the prep work that precedes the actual artistic carving.
Sand &Sawdust includes an array of vendors, food and beverage, a beer garden and a lip-sync contest with local radio station KOSW, which will be broadcasting live all three days.
More information is available online at www.oceanshores.org.
Sand &Sawdust Schedule
Friday, June 23
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Event grounds open
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Chainsaw wood carving
4 p.m. Live auction of wood sculptures, main stage
5:30 p.m. Sand sculpting lessons in CC parking lot
Saturday, June 24
6 – 7 a.m. Sand sculpture check-in on the beach
8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sand sculpture contest
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Event grounds open
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Chainsaw wood carving
11 a.m. Sand sculpting lessons in CC parking lot
2 p.m. Live Lip-sync Battle
4 p.m. Live auction of wood sculptures, main stage
Sunday, June 25
10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Event grounds open
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Chainsaw wood carving
10:30 a.m. Sand sculpting lessons in CC parking lot
2 p.m. Live auction of wood sculptures, main stage
3:30 p.m. Driftwood carver auction and awards. main stage
4 p.m. Chainsaw carvers awards, People’s Choice sand sculpture award, main stage
North Coast News file photo: Anthony Robinson works on one of his unique chainsaw art pieces at last years Ocean Shores Sand & Sawdust Festival at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.
North Coast News file photo: Anthony Robinson works on one of his unique chainsaw art pieces at last years Ocean Shores Sand & Sawdust Festival at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.
