Sandy Spectacle: 2018 US Sand Sculpting Challenge Returns to San Diego
The four-day event runs from Friday through Labor Day at Broadway Pier along downtown San Diego’s waterfront
By Monica Garske ••
The 6th annual U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge returns to Broadway Pier along downtown San Diego’s waterfront this Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-4. Spectators can expect to see some elaborate creations made entirely of sand.
With sand, buckets and a knack for detail, artists will descend on San Diego’s waterfront this Labor Day weekend for a sand sculpting competition known to leave spectators awestruck.
The 7th annual U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & Dimensional Art Exposition presented by the Port of San Diego goes down at Broadway Pier Friday through Labor Day, showcasing elaborate works of art created entirely out of sand.
On Monday, 300 tons of sand will be dumped at the Broadway Pier, transforming the pavilion into an indoor sandy oasis that will extend to the beach along San Diego Bay.
NBC 7 San Diego
This sand-carved nod to pop culture, dubbed "Bruce Jender," shows Caitlyn Jenner emerging from a shell of her former self.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
NBC 7 San Diego
The 4-day U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo was held in San Diego over Labor Day weekend 2015. Organizers dropped 300 tons of sand into the area at the B Street cruise ship terminal near the bay for sculptors to turn into incredibly detailed, elaborate works of art. Seriously, you have to see these works to believe it.
The sand will be used by international sand artists vying for first place in the competition, including two-time winner, Ilya Filimontsev, of Russia, who took the prize home in both 2017 and 2016.
The competition brings world master class sand sculptors from around the world to San Diego to build and carve sand sculptures as the event unfolds.
For non-sculptors, the family-friendly event includes live entertainment, gourmet food trucks, a beer garden and a kid’s zone with a large zone with hands-on activities including sandcastle building classes taught by professional artists. In the past, the event has been named one of the top 20 must-see seaside festivals in the world by USA Today’s 10 Best.
The U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge returns to San Diego this Labor Day weekend. NBC 7’s Vanessa Herrera shares details on the artistic, elaborate masterpieces visitors can expect to see.
In addition to taking in the sand sculptures against the backdrop of the bay, attendees can also peruse and buy more than 1,000 works of art – from metal, wood and glass to jewelry, handmade clothing and wall art – in the Dimensional Art Exposition portion of the event.
The U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge gets underway with preview night Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m and continues 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Labor Day.
Tickets range from $8 to $13 for adults and $7 to $9 for kids, for advance tickets but tickets will be available at the gate. Admission is free for active duty military and first responders with identification.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Let the competition begin! A sand sculpture beginning to take shape at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo happening Aug. 29 through Sept. 1 in San Diego.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
NBC 7 San Diego
Showcasing their careful carving techniques and attention to detail, professional sand sculptors from all over the world will compete in San Diego over Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo on B Street Pier.
Since the waterfront gets crowded on the holiday weekend, visitors may want to take public transit to the event. The MTS trolley and bus, as well as the North County Coaster and Amtrak trains, drop passengers off at America Plaza/Santa Fe Depot, which is one block south and two blocks east of the pier.
