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Castles made of sand

By Joanne Latimer

Check out Canada’s own World Champion sand sculptors in Prince Edward Island

What happens when you take 2 million pounds of sand and invite seven professional sculptors to bring their buckets? SandLand. This Prince Edward Island tradition-turned-international attraction consists of 20 sand sculptures created by Canada’s own World Champion sand sculptors and local Prince Edward Island talent. Master sand sculptor Peter Vogelaar leads a group of artists to mold original sand spectacles under the theme Life and Times in PEI.

SandLand, located on the red beaches of Charlottetown’s historic Waterfront, thinks outside of the (sand)box. The sculptures pay homage to PEI architecture, drama, farming and characters, both mythic and historic. Past visitors have marveled at Vogelaar’s version of St. Dunstan’s Basilica, and then chuckled at his fiddler in an Acadian kitchen party. It’s no wonder Vogelaar and his crew picked up the 2003 World Sand Sculpture Championships in Harrison, British Columbia. Not afraid to tackle large-scale themes, the team creates life-size depictions of oyster harvesting, harness racing and lobster boating, not to mention a replica of the Anne of Green Gables heritage house, a lighthouse and even the Confederation Ferry.

Ask the artists on hand to share sand sculpting secrets, or if you have a creative itch, settle into an open sand box of your own. No previous experience required.

Getting here

SandLand, Founders’ Hall, 6 Prince Street, Charlottetown Waterfront, open June 30 to September 30, 2007, 1-800-955-1864, walkandseacharlottetown.com/sandland/
Tourism Charlottetown, 902-566-5548, www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca
Tourism PEI, 1-800-463-4PEI (1-800-463-4734) peiplay.com

Joanne Latimer's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, enRoute magazine and FASHION Magazine.