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Nobody dared to dream that it would turn out this well. What will we do
if it rains, what if the sky falls on our heads, what if Elvis comes to
the contest, what are we going to do? "Don't worry, we'll always be having
fun," was the answer of Bert Adams, Mazatlán's newly-aquired sand sculpting
expert and chief organiser of the event. And there is no doubt that everyone
that attended definitely had fun. With 19 entries in the three different
categories, prize money totalling $3000 pesos, fame for many of the competitors
in the form of two national and one local TV station, and a level of intricacy
that would make the Statue of Liberty jealous, Mazatlán's First Annual Sand
Sculpture Contest-- held at the picturesque Sabalo beach outside Chili's
Pepper Restaurant-- proved to be a resounding success. The day began early,
with the contest officially opening at 8 a.m. However, Bert, affectionately
rechristened "Beto," made it to the beach at least an hour beforehand, claiming
to "enjoy the magic of dawn." Very shortly after the starting time, many
of the participants came to survey the terrain, and plan for the day's work.
Teams with their equipment, families with their food and drink supplies,
and individuals with their suntan lotion, all ready for action. And action
there was. With a total of 84 participants, 30 helpers, and an estimated
total attendance of between 4,000 to 5,000 people, the contest caught the
attention and imagination of Mazatlán's budding sand artists and fans. Fun
and creativity proved to be the recipe of the day. Masterpieces were divided
into three categories: individual, kids and family, and open teams, with
one, ten and eight entries respectively. The rules were simple; only sand
from the beach and water from the ocean could be used as building material,
only human-powered tools (shovels, masonry, garden, etc.) could be used
to sculpt, and only natural elements found on the beach (shells, rocks,
etc.) could be incorporated as decoration in the final entry. The "Number
One Rule," however, was to "Have Fun." Passionate art made easy at the beach.
"Everyone's just a little kid at heart," commented one spectator, "and we've
all got budding Michaelangelos waiting to be freed in our minds." The contest
unleashed onto Mazatlán levels of creativity and intricacy that surpassed
almost all expectations. And what works of art were made. With such entries
in the "family division" as a Temple of Doom, a dragon, the city of Jericho,
and the Love Boat; in the "team division" entries as varied as castles guarded
by mermaids, sealions, and two different turtle entries, and a Buddha in
the "individual division," Mazatlán's imaginations found a new lease on
life. As Beto told me, "Once you show people the basics of sandcastling,
people can create sculptures that they couldn't have previously conceived...
When it comes to sand sculpting, more people suffer from a lack of confidence
than a lack of talent." Lack of talent certainly did not seem to be a problem.
So how does Beto see the shape of things to come? Well, given the turnout
and the high standard of entries, he can picture Mazatlán having a 50-entry
competition with an attendance of approximately 50,000 within a few years.
With the support of the local business community, the Sand Sculpture Contest
could grow into one of Mazatlán's central attractions. And what about the
quality of the entries, I asked. There is no reason, Beto feels, that within
a couple of years, Mazatlán could not produce a team for the World Championship
Sand Sculpting Contest, held in |
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Harrison Hot Springs, B.C., Canada. All of this was great news to me. Beto
went on to tell me that there were resorts in Canada and USA for whom Sand
Sculpting Contests were the towns' biggest tourist draw, which usually brings
in a lot of revenue for the host city. Mazatlán's sand sculpting future
is looking more and more promising, whether for the participants themselves,
the spectators, or for the local community. The day of the contest proved
to be "bonanza day" for some of the businesses with the good fortune and/or
foresight to be near the contest venue. Vendors were given a new lease of
life, Chili´s Pepper restaurant, which had been receiving lunch reservations
from a few days after the contest was announced, had few tables free at
any point throughout the day, and there were even rumours circling that
some of the spectators had actually taken parasailing rides just to gain
a better view of the sculptures. But the contest was, of course, about the
fun to be had in the sand. Central for sand sculpting contests is the idea
of productive enjoyment; this is the aspect of the art that Beto instills
into all the competitions that he helps to organise. This "Sand Sculptor's
Pledge" is thus central to him and all that he stands for when it comes
to beach creativity. "I promise to have fun, help others have fun, and to
"un-litter" (to pick up more than I create)." Words of wisdom indeed. And
what better way to have fun on the beach in Mazatlán? The advantages of
sand sculpting seem to be endless: it is something that can capture the
imagination of everyone, young and old; it is free amusement; it is environmentally
friendly; it is highly entertaining; it is fun for participants and spectators
alike; and it takes place in the sun and in a beautiful setting. For me,
perhaps the most wonderful aspect of the day's contest was seeing Team Mexico,
a team of 11 kids, form their own group and manage to perform a feat in
comradary of which any sports team should be envious. The sight of 11 children,
all aged around 10 or 12, working together-- perfecting their masterpiece--
is something that I will hold with me for a long time. The air was taut
with tension as the day's sculpting came to a close. Artists' over-excitement
and over-ambition had meant that sharks had had to be turned into turtles
and castle turrets into alligator skeletons, but nonetheless, all entries
were completed at the appointed deadline of 3pm. The competition was judged
by representatives from the different sponsors: Pacifico/Corona, Coca Cola,
Crystal FM, Chili's Pepper Restaurant, The Pacific Pearl, and representatives
from SEMARNAP (the Federal Government) and Sinaloa´s Tourism Board. Beto
gave the judges advice on what to look for in a winning entry, so that by
the end of the afternoon, through an air full of tension, the judges' decisions
were announced. Emotions ran high, or in the case of the winning team, jumped
and screamed high. The main verdict of the judges? That the entries were
all very good, and given that this is just the beginning of Mazatlán's sand
sculpting career, we should all be very proud of the final entries, participants
and spectators alike. So what was the most enjoyable aspect of the contest,
I asked the winning family team. The mother of the family was quick to respond:
"When the family is together, something good, something positive always
comes through; success and a whole lot more." Yes, they did receive their
prize money, but seeing her walking home with her family, beaming with pride,
proved to me that she, and all those involved in the contest, had experienced
so much more than a simple day on the beach. |
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