Hanalei Sand Castle Competition

I had the pleasure of taking my son to the Hanalei Sand Castle Sculpture Contest over the weekend. I have to say this is a must-see family friendly event! Usually, we would hit the Koloa Plantation Days Parade and festivities, but we decided to head North and try something we new. Rain had threatened all morning, but after one brief blessing the sky opened up to reveal that the mountains had become heavily laden with waterfalls, and the sun began to shine through the clouds. Another perfect day in Hanalei.

The morning began with some heavy showers, but that did not deter the teams from arriving and as luck would have it, the skies cleared just in time for the competition. The rain also left the surrounding mountains heavily laden with cascading waterfalls. It also gave the sand a good dose of moisture, something that is especially important for building sand castles.

World-renowned sand sculptor Jeff Peterson was on hand to give a sand sculpture class and encourage everyone, especially children, to register and participate. He also reminded folks to have a plan, work as team and use lots and lots of water. After the pep talk, teams gathered and went to work digging and building. It was amazing to see the creativity that abounds on this small island.

By noon, the beach was absolutely packed with both artisans and onlookers, most of which seemed to hang around all day to see the sculptures progress. From mermaids to dolphins, traditional castles to the medieval, octopuses and shave ice, and dragons to shaka signs, there was something for everyone. I highly recommend this event. In fact, I am considering entering the contest next year!