Sand Bash 2011 Ft. Myers Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition

The 2011 Sand Bash was held from March 31 through April 3, 2011 on Ft. Myers Beach. Billed as, "Ft. Myers' Best Beach Party," the Sand Bash is a benefit held yearly with proceeds benefiting the Ft. Myers Beach Kiwanis Club as well as other local Kiwanis Clubs. The Sand Bash includes a Sand Sculpting Competition that brings in Master Sand Sculptors from all over the world. The best way to access the Sand Bash is to go to the Holiday Inn Ft. Myers Beach at 6890 Estero Boulevard.

Sand Bash 2011 Admission Fees and Parking

Costs to attend the Sand Bash 2011 were $8 for adults per day, $5 for kids ages 5-17 years and $5 for seniors 55 and over. Children younger than age 5 were admitted for free. Family-of-4 passes were $20 per day. Adults who wanted to attend all 4 days pay $20. Four day passes for kids and seniors were $15.

Parking was available for fees ranging from $5 to $15 in various business parking lots within a half-mile either direction from the Holiday Inn. Free parking was available on Lovers' Key, the tiny island next to Ft. Myers Beach. Then, from Lovers' Key, shuttle buses transferred attendees to the Sand Bash back and forth over the bridge.

Whenever Ft. Myers Beach holds a special party, the traffic getting on to the island (Ft. Myers Beach) is backed up for at least 5 or 6 miles.

Sand Bash 2011 Entertainment

Although the main attraction at Sand Bash 2011 is, what else, the sand sculptures; there are other activities, too. This year, live music by Deb and the Dynamics, and Gary Roland and the Landsharks Band played in the hot summer sun as people milled about examining the sand sculptures.

For kids, activities such as water slides, bounce houses, and Aqua Bubbles made an afternoon on Ft. Myers Beach worth whatever it took to finally get there. Several food vendors dotted the beach selling drinks, Mexican food, crab cakes and other goodies. This year, a fantastic selection of retail vendors set up shop on the white sandy Ft. Myers Beach. Selling items such as t-shirts, hats, sundresses and more jewelry than you can imagine, the vendors hawked their wares in the hot Florida sun.

Winning Sculptures and Sculptors of 2011 Sand Bash Ft. Myers Beach

The third place sand sculpture bronze medal and a $2,000 cash award was awarded to Joris Kivts and Bouke Atema, both of the Netherlands for their "Unknown Heroes" sculpture. Kivts and Atema also won the Sculptors' Choice Award for Unknown Heroes, which netted them another $1,000.

The second place silver medal and a $3,000 prize went to the sculpture named, "The Fish Story" sculpted by Matt Diebert and John Gowdy. Diebert hails from Smithville, NJ while Gowdy is from Italy.

The first place gold medal and a $4,000 prize went to Sandis Konrats of Latvia and Charlie Beaulieu of Kingston, Washington for their sculpture, "S- Hands of Time."

Sources

Boca Grande Talk website.

Ft. Myers Beach Talk website.

Gasparilla Gazette website.

Personal experience.

Sand Bash 2011 website.