By SCOTT D. JOHNSTON

The 2018 return of the Five Star Dealerships Sand & Sawdust Festival reflects organizers’ efforts to elevate the event into one of the West Coast’s leading annual chainsaw art weekends.

This year, there are 29 registered carvers set to create as many as 100 wood sculptures that will be presented to the public in live auctions each day of the festival, which starts this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

“Our goal is to make this one of the premier events in carving,” said Piper Leslie, executive director of the Ocean Shores/North Beach Chamber of Commerce, which is producing the festival. “We would like Ocean Shores to be synonymous with carving,” she added: “There’s a lot of talent out here, a lot of people carving here.”

The Chamber and festival executive producer Scott Nagel have expanded the free event to include an art show and demonstration, “Get Our Drift – Art of the Lower Peninsula,” produced by Associated Arts of Ocean Shores and featuring a dozen artists in action using motifs and materials from the coastal environs. Also planned are an eclectic array of nine food and beverage vendors, a live music stage, and around 70 vendor and non-profit booths.

Although sand is still a major part of the festival, the usual sand sculpture contests on the beach are not part of the event this year. Leslie explained the Chamber “made the difficult decision this year to eliminate professional sand sculpture down on the beach due to budget restrictions. The plan is to restructure the sand portion and come back next year with a larger emphasis on community contests.”

Still, sand offers plenty of opportunities for public participation. Well-known Aberdeen artist Doug Orr, who lists sand sculpting among his many artistic talents, will conduct sand castle building workshops and sand “quick sculpt” competitions, complete with prizes, and work on his own large-scale sand castle, all in front of the Convention Center all three days.

Orr, the former Chamber director, explained that the workshops offer folks the opportunity to “learn stuff they can go practice on the beach.” He said the crowd suggests topics for the quick sculpt competitions and volunteers will help. They will be joined by sand sculptor Eric Hawley, who is involved in multiple events, and previously created the signature sand sculpture at the Convention Center during past Sand & Sawdust Festivals.

Justin The Circler will be on the beach at the Chance a La Mer approach giving guided instruction on the “sacred geometry” of mandalas and circle-derived patterns inscribed in the sand. He provides the needed tools, some custom-made and some as simple as rakes, rope and sticks, along with explanations and encouragement on the art of “geo-scribing,” starting at 2 p.m. and continuing until the tide comes in each day.

“Participants will draft circles, arcs and lines to create their mandalas, using basic instructions to dress them up,” he explained. He will then “freehand some organic designs around the mandalas,” tying the project together as a drone flies above to capture some birds-eye pictures.

Chainsaw carving occupies much of the Convention Center parking lot, with live carving throughout the weekend and quick carve competitions late Friday and Saturday mornings. Also outdoors is the Bennett’s Fish Shack Stage, sponsored by Jeff Daniel and John L. Scott Realty with live music hosted by Ocean Shores’ community radio station, KOSW 91.3 FM.

The parking area will also host food vendors and a beer garden, a Five Star Dealerships auto display, a rock climbing wall, a pony ride and around 30 vendor booths.

Inside the venue, live auctions of chainsaw art will take place in the final two hours of the event each afternoon on stage, along with the AAOS artists in action and around 40 craft, commercial and non-profit booths.

New website with full information at http://sandandsawdust.org/

QBRC expansion celebration

Quinault Beach Resort & Casino’s 18th anniversary celebration continues through the weekend, along with the finale of the popular Williams and Ree Comedy Show on June 23.

On Friday, QBRC hosts an official ribbon cutting ceremony, including a traditional Quinault blessing, for the opening of the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino expansion. Festivities start at 3 p.m.

July events

3-5: Chief Taholah Days: Chief Taholah Days commemorates the signing of the Quinault Treaty in July 1855. Visit Tahloah for three days of events including sports competitions, canoe races, a parade, talent show, volleyball tournament, fun run/walk.

27-29: Bikers at the Beach motorcycle event at the Ocean Shores Convention Center, with Hog Wild Weekend also ongoing simultaneously at Quinault Beach Resort and Casino.

August events

11: Ocean Shores Woof-a-Thon. Annual event honoring pets and raising funds and awareness for animal welfare. At North Bay High School with dog walk on the track, events and demonstrations, and auction: www.oceanshoreswoofathon.org.

11-12: Body and Soul Festival. Learn all about a natural and homeopathic way of life. At the Ocean Shores Lions Club on Ocean Shores Blvd.

17-19: Seahawks Fan Fest & Beach Party, with events planned for Quinault Beach Resort & Casino, Oyhut Bay and Ocean Shores Convention Center.

18: Gnome & Fairy Festival at Seabrook. A day of enchantment and outdoor play for the whole family, face painting, games, crafts and live animal encounters. Starts at 11 a.m.

Aug. 31-Sept. 2: AAOS Arts & Crafts Festival at the Convention Center: www.associatedarts.org.Visit one of Western Washington’s largest indoor and outdoor handmade arts and crafts fair.Thousand of unique items are showcased by gifted artists and talented craftspeople. Admission is free.

Aug. 31-Sept. 2: Annual Kelpers Festival and Shake Rat Rendezvous, featuring tug of war competition between Moclips and Pacific Beach, kid’s parade, full parade in Pacific Beach on Sunday, and various logging competitions.

September

1: Ocean Shores Paddleathon. Saturday, Sept. 1. Oyhut Bay Seaside Village Canal. For kayak, canoe,and rowing enthusiasts. All Skill levels are welcome. Human-powered boat activities on the lakes and canals of Ocean Shores. Race, Poker Paddle, picnic, seminars and the latest in paddling gear at end-of-season prices.

21-23: Whale of Quilt Show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center, (509) 715-9082 for information.

October

6: Big Foot Brew Festival at Seabrook, for craft beer enthusiasts, with some of the regions’ best breweries featured from noon to 5 p.m.

16-21: Irish Music Festival. The West Coast’s largest Irish music festival: 6 stages, 3 venues,including Galway Bay and the Convention Center in Ocean Shores, and 30 great bands. Come tip a pint and kick up your heels. For more information and a schedule visit www.galwaybayevents.com

November

3-4: Run From the Rain Indoor Kite Fly in Ocean Shores, sponsored by Ocean Shores Kites(oceanshoreskites.com). Call (360) 289-4103 for more information.

23-25: Winter Fanta-Sea pre-Christmas festival of holiday gifts and vendors, Ocean Shores Convention Center, (360) 289-9586.

North Coast News: Eric Hawley, right, dsigned the main san sculpture last year for the Ocean Shores Convention Center during the annual Sand & Sawdust Festival in June.