The Neptune Festival invites sculptors based on their bios and past performances. Those selected must have completed and placed in well-known and respected international competitions. The total prize purse is $53,000 – the largest prize purse in the country. Solo competitors have 24 hours over 3 days to complete their sculptures. The doubles teams have the same 24 hours to finish. They all start with a pile of dry sand and end up with beautiful works of art.


Wood and flexible plastic forms are used to confine the sand so it can be compacted. Sculptors do “pound ups” to remove the air from between the grains of sand to compact the sand/water. When the forms are removed, all areas must be hand sculpted. Over 350 tons of sand is trucked in. The solos are working with approximately 12 tons each, and the doubles 20 tons each. Sand is imported with a small percentage of clay and a finer grain than the replenished sand found on the beach.


A wind spray, a mixture of one part biodegradable glue and 10 parts water, is sprayed on the sculptures to protect them from high winds. A small feather, stick, wire, etc is placed on top of the sculptures to deter seagulls and other birds from landing on them.

Below are pix of some of the sculptures.  There were 11 in the singles class, and 10 in the doubles class.  There were also amateur classes for schools and businesses. 

"Neptune Saves the Day" based on the current BP oil spill.

 "Love Never Grows Old" under construction.

I don't remember the title of this one, but Melissa thought it looked like a fat lady squeezing a pastry bag.

 I don't know what this one is, but it had an intricate design and won several awards.  The holes in the ball went all the way through.

Check out the ruffles on this dancer's dress. 

 This Neptune Festival design had many sculptors working on it and included the sponsor logos.

Theses two sculptures looked like real "sand castles".