Cannon Beach, Ore., on Oregon's North Coast, held its 59th annual Sandcastle Contest on Saturday, June 10th, 2023. Team Camp Castle built this elaborate castle, being breached by a sculpted octopus and surrounded by a moat, and won second place in the Large Group Division.
Jenn Chávez / OPB
On the shores of Oregon’s North Coast, as pelicans and kites flew overhead, crowds of beachgoers gathered on June 10th, 2023, to take in the ocean air and enjoy elaborate sand sculptures at Cannon Beach’s 59th annual Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest.
The contest started in 1964, as a way to keep Cannon Beach locals entertained when a tsunami washed out the city’s Elk Creek Bridge, leaving residents somewhat isolated until it was replaced. In the nearly 60 years since, it’s grown into one of the largest competitions of its kind in the country and has been officially designated an Oregon heritage tradition.
The executive director of the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, James Paino, helped organize the event, and recalled competing in the contest's six-and-under Sand Fleas Division as a young child.
Jenn Chávez / OPB
For locals like James Paino, contest organizer and executive director of the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, the event has been a part of their lives for many years. “This is a tradition for me: I remember being a little kid and helping out with the sandcastle contest, and even being in the little Sand Fleas division way, way back,” Paino said.
The contest was open to competitors of all ages and expertise levels, ranging from the Sand Fleas Division (for kids six years old and younger), to the Masters Division. Families often compete together, like the siblings and cousins of the Knapp and Doucet families. They’re the youngest in a line of multigenerational Cannon Beach sand sculptors going back decades, who treat the contest as an opportunity for a family reunion. Their team this year, the Sea Beagles, won first place in the Juniors Division for their sand sculpture on the theme of Cannon Beach’s iconic Haystack Rock.
Many spectators paid close attention to the pros in the Masters Division, which volunteer judge Robin Risley called “the cream of the crop.” Those teams were given the most time to build their structures — over five hours — before being judged. Many began by using wooden forms to mold the bases of their sand castles and sculptures, though in the end, entries were only allowed to feature natural items found on the beach, sand from within their competition plots, and ocean water. Some team members periodically misted the sculptures in progress, to keep the sand damp and moldable. At peak competition time, hundreds of spectators walked the beach to observe the masters at work nearing the finish.
The winners of the Masters Division were the Form Finders, who’ve been coming from Olympia, Wash. to compete in the contest since 2010. They built a massive piece inspired by Egyptian art called “Hair to the Throne,” with a cat on a throne bedecked with Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Cannon Beach, Ore., on Oregon's North Coast, held its 59th annual Sandcastle Contest on Saturday, June 10th, 2023. Members of Team Pug Love worked on sculpting a sand base in their winning entry, smoothing sand in a wooden form.
Jenn Chávez / OPB
Other sculptures included elaborate castles, massive sea creatures, animals playing in a band, and even a pug dog-themed pumpkin patch. And, in a bit of beach poetry, the day ends with all the sand creations being slowly washed away by the incoming tide.
As Masters Division competitor Matt Morrise with the team Ozymandias put it: “It’s a parable of life, isn’t it? That’s what it is.”
To listen to an audio postcard from the Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest, click play on the audio player at the top of this page.