Participants have been coming from all corners of North America for 33 years to sculpt sand during Texada’s Sandcastle Weekend.
This weekend will be no exception, when competitors take to the shores from 10 am-2 pm on Sunday, July 23, at Gillies Bay Beach.
When it comes to the festival’s flagship event, no one has a better attendance record than the Leopkey family.
“The first year we built a dragon,” said family patriarch Dale Leopkey. “I’m getting close to 80 years old, so my memory is not that great, but we have trophies all over the place.”
Most of the heavy lifting has been passed on to his younger relatives, who will soon be arriving from Mexico, New Brunswick, Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
“We are expecting at least 10 families, maybe more, and they form four or five teams,” said Leopkey. “It’s never the same.”
While professional sculptors might spend months planning their creations, Texada’s event attracts a more spontaneous bunch, according to organizing committee chair Elayne Boloten.
“The same guys come back quite often, but you never know who they’re going to be,” said Boloten. “Nobody really gets overly competitive about it. It’s mostly to have fun and get dirty and usually win a couple of bucks.”
Techniques can vary drastically from family to family, and often within the same family.
“We have some people who are really good at it; others just take great pride in moving as much sand as possible,” said Leopkey.
Luckily, Boloten will be offering a prize for most sand moved, along with others for several age categories.
Texada resident and volunteer firefighter Dave Carberry has vied for the elusive Most Sand Moved trophy on more than one occasion.
“It’s fun,” he said. “I like a good workout.”
Although in recent years Carberry and his family have been taking a sabbatical from sand to focus on the annual lip-syncing competition, he still recalls the the thrill of a friendly race against the tide.
“You only have so much time so it’s kind of go, go, go,” he said.
By the time participants put down their shovels at the end of the four-hour construction period, the beach will be brimming with sandy creations depicting everything from sea monsters to automobiles, and even the obligatory castle.
One might swear a few professionals snuck onto the roster, but Boloten ensures each sculptor is as about as amateur as they come.
“It’s the equivalent to a beer-league baseball team,” she said.
Or, in the Leopkey’s case, a family reunion.
“I think every Leopkey in North America is here this summer,” said Leopkey, “and a few wannabe Leopkeys are coming as well.”
Texada Sandcastle Weekend takes place Saturday, July 22, and Sunday, July 23, featuring dozens of events throughout Texada Island. For more information, visit texada.org.
