The Parksville Beach Festival wrapped up its comeback year with some impressive gate attendance numbers.
Gate ambassadors for the 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting exhibition welcomed 115,217 visitors during the five-week festival, surpassing 2019B次元官网网址檚 total of 115,118, according to a news release by Parksville Beach Festival Society.
B次元官网网址淏each Fest has made a comeback!B次元官网网址� said Cheryl Dill, Parksville Beach Festival Society president.
B次元官网网址淲e are so pleased with the positive feedback from local residents and visitors.B次元官网网址�
Event organizers were pleased with the strong attendance after the eventB次元官网网址檚 two-year event hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sand sculptures at Parksville Community Beach will be deconstructed this week.
B次元官网网址淪eeing the sculptures come down is bittersweet for the Parksville Beach Festival volunteers and staff,B次元官网网址� stated the release.
B次元官网网址淏ut they have much to celebrate, thanks to a strong return to their summer of events.B次元官网网址�
More than 102,000 votes were cast by visitors for the PeopleB次元官网网址檚 Choice award during the festivalB次元官网网址檚 five-week run, according to the release.
Guy-Olivier Deveau, from Quebec, won in the solo category for his sculpture, B次元官网网址楾he AlgorithmB次元官网网址�. Guy Beauregard and Seveline Beauregard, also from Quebec, took home the doubleB次元官网网址檚 prize for B次元官网网址業 Gotta See a Man about a DogB次元官网网址�.
READ MORE:
B次元官网网址淭hese are highly coveted awards amongst the master sculptors in our competition,B次元官网网址� said Dill. B次元官网网址淧eople had many favourites but the winners were clear.B次元官网网址�
The festival also included the Canadian Tire Sculpt Like the Pros sculpting lessons, the Arbutus RV Artisan Market, Party City Buskers and the Coastal Community Credit Union sculpture light-up, which complemented the Quality Foods Festival of Lights.
The new Parksville Outdoor Theatre, managed by the society, hosted the Tim Hortons Summer Concert Series and the popular Mid Island Co-op Rock the Park music festival.
The 2022 Quality Foods Sand Sculpting exhibitionB次元官网网址檚 July opening weekend saw numerous sculpting awards presented to competitors from B.C. and around the world.
First place in the solo competition went to B次元官网网址楽pirit of AviationB次元官网网址� by Dan Belcher from the U.S. Second place went to Guy-Olivier Deveau, from Quebec for B次元官网网址楾he Algorithm.B次元官网网址� Third place was a tie between Peter Vogelaar, of B.C. for B次元官网网址楤elleB次元官网网址� and Damon Langlois, of B.C., for B次元官网网址榃hat a Wonderful World.B次元官网网址� Rounding out the top five was Francisco Calvillo, from Mexico, for his piece B次元官网网址楾he Vortex B次元官网网址� An Extraordinary Love Story.B次元官网网址�
On the doubles side, first place went to Susanne Ruseler, of the Netherlands, and Sue McGrew from the U.S. for B次元官网网址楿n Bear a BullB次元官网网址�. The NetherlandsB次元官网网址� Wilfred Stijger and Edith van de Wetering received second place for B次元官网网址楻oarrr!B次元官网网址� Third place was a tie between Brian Wigelsworth and Matt Long of the U.S., for B次元官网网址楾he Cotton ClubB次元官网网址� and British Columbian Fred Dobbs and American Ted Siebert for B次元官网网址楤adda Bing, Badda Boom.B次元官网网址�
Parksville Beach Festival SocietyB次元官网网址檚 mandate is to create fun, family-friendly events on ParksvilleB次元官网网址檚 main beach and to support community growth.
According to their policies, the society assigns 25 per cent of its gate proceeds to community projects and philanthropic groups. Contributing to the maintenance and development of Parksville Community Park is also a high priority.
Since 1999, the society has donated $1 million to non-profit organizations and community projects, which include construction of the park gazebo and community signs. It also reserves funds annually to help sustain future events, which can be threatened by such things as inclement weather.
For 2022, the society aims to donate to 25 not-for-profit organizations, which served as gate greeters at the entrance to the sand sculpting site during the public exhibition. The exact donation will be determined in the coming weeks, according to the society.
B次元官网网址� NEWS Staff, submitted
