Hunter
For one weekend in April every year, a half-mile stretch of beach in Port Aransas, Texas, is transformed into a one-of-a-kind outdoor art gallery.
Painstakingly crafted sculptures made entirely of sand—ranging from dragons to Viking ships to 10-foot-tall busts of historical figures—take shape over three days on the beach about 180 miles southeast of San Antonio. Using sand sourced on-site, Texas SandFest is the nation’s largest “native sand” sculpture competition.
The festival, which began as a small local contest in 1997 to raise funds for a community theater, has grown into an internationally recognized event that annually draws renowned sand sculptors and tens of thousands of visitors from around the world to the picturesque Coastal Bend community of about 3,500 residents.
This year’s event, to be held April 25-27, will feature 20 master sculptors and nearly 200 amateurs, working on their own or in teams of two, competing for prizes in several categories. Sculptures are judged on originality, degree of difficulty, proper proportions, cleanliness of finished surfaces, and what the festival’s master sculptor coordinator, Suzanne Altamare, calls the “wow factor.”
The sand on Port Aransas beach is uniquely suited for sculpting because it is dense, fine-grained and angular, with high clay and silt content. The only tools that sculptors are allowed to use are trowels, spray bottles of water and plastic straws. Once carving is completed, the pieces are spritzed with a water-based biodegradable glue, forming something like an M&M’s candy shell.
Flanking the gallery where sculptors work are dozens of booths, offering food, face-painting and locally created jewelry, clothing and art, as well as a beer garden and small stages for live music performances.
Proceeds from the annual event go to a variety of nonprofit arts groups and a local food pantry.
NCSL recently caught up with Rep. Todd Hunter (R), whose District 32 includes Port Aransas and other Coastal Bend communities.
What does Texas SandFest mean for your district?
It’s a unique, family-centered event that brings thousands and thousands of people from all over the world to visit Port Aransas, which is a real jewel on our coast. It gives them a chance to sample our local cuisine, our music, our cultural heritage and, best of all, the opportunity to see how you can make magic from sand. Of course, it’s a big boost for our restaurants, shops and B&Bs, and provides much-needed support for the local arts scene. Thanks to revenue from SandFest, Port Aransas was finally able to build a community theater, which opened in 2006.
Have you ever tried your hand at sand sculpture?
Well, I go to SandFest almost every year, but I’ve never participated. My role is to just stroll around, listen to the music, watch the sculptors at work, and give praise. I always enjoy myself. Anyone who’d like to see what goes on at SandFest can watch a 15-minute video.
What else should we know about your district?
Port Aransas, Padre Island, Corpus Christi and other Coastal Bend communities are great year-round destinations for all sorts of visitors interested in all sorts of activities: fishing, bird-watching, dolphin-watching, hiking and biking, parasailing, surfing and just relaxing on our beautiful Gulf Coast beaches. The Coastal Bend is home to a number of wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves, to the Texas State Aquarium, and to places that rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles and sea birds.
Besides SandFest, there are a lot of other events throughout the year that bring visitors to our area, like the Rockport Gospel Music Festival, the Texas Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi, and the Whooping Crane Festival in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
The area is also represented by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R), District 18.
“My District” gives NCSL members a chance to talk about life in the places they represent, from high-profile events and destinations to the fun facts only the locals know. The responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Suzanne Weiss is a Denver-based freelance writer.