A decade in the sand: Blue Water Sandfest celebrates 10 years

PORT HURON — Blue Water Sandfest has entertained people and showcased talented sculptors for a decade.

Here's what's in store for this year's festival:

Blue Water Sandfest will take place from Aug. 2-4 at the Fort Gratiot Lightstation, located at 2802 Omar St. in Port Huron. Admission is $6 per person and free to children 4 years old and younger.

The event kicks off at 10 a.m. on Aug. 2. Sandfest Chair Denise Brooks said this is a unique, weekend-long event with a beautiful setting. In addition to professional and amateur sculpture demonstrations, people can enjoy live music, food vendors, a beer garden and a kids zone.

The festival raises money for restoration projects for the Fort Gratiot Lightstation. Brooks said that the retired coast guard station is the current restoration project.

"I think one of the unique things is that people can see what the money is going towards during the event," she said.

This year, there are 14 individual sculptors and four teams of two for the doubles competition. They will be sculpting their creations throughout the duration of Sandfest, with the winners being announced at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 3.

There is not a theme for the sculptures. Brooks said not having a theme allows the sculptors to create whatever they want. She said the sculptors have created some intriguing pieces over the years.

Free shuttle bus services will be available for the duration of Blue Water Sandfest. The buses will run from 9:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 and then from 9:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 4.

The buses will pick up people from the St. Clair County Community College Welcome Center, located at 799 Erie St., and from Holland Woods Middle School, located at 1617 Holland Ave.

A full schedule of events can be found at www.bluewatersandfest.com.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: A decade in the sand: Blue Water Sandfest celebrates 10 years