Wildwood Crest Sand Sculpting Festival Returns This Week

Every summer, the beaches of Wildwood Crest transform into an outdoor art gallery, and this Friday, July 10, one of the area’s most popular traditions returns.

The 14th Annual Wildwood Crest Sand Sculpting Festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the beach at Heather Road. The free event welcomes both participants and spectators for a day of incredible artwork, family activities, and friendly competition.

Hosted by internationally recognized sand sculptor Matt Long, the festival brings together amateur and semi-professional sculptors who will spend the day turning nothing more than sand and water into detailed works of art.

Long, a former cast member of the Travel Channel’s SandMasters, actually got his start competing in events like this right here in South Jersey. He made his own featured sculpture on this past Tuesday, see above, giving beachgoers several days to watch the masterpiece take shape before the festival officially begins.

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The professional-amateur division also gets an early start, with competitors beginning their sculptures on Thursday, July 9. Visitors are encouraged to stop by throughout the week to watch the artists at work as the sculptures slowly emerge from the sand.

If you’ve ever wanted to try sand sculpting yourself, this is the perfect opportunity. Registration is completely free and opens at 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the event. The first 100 participants will receive an official festival T-shirt, with additional shirts available while supplies last.

Contest entries will be judged on creativity, execution, composition, and overall presentation. Awards will be presented to the top three finishers in each division, while spectators can cast their own votes for the People’s Choice “Best on the Beach” award. To keep the competition fair, participants will compete across six divisions, including youth, adults, individuals, and team categories.

Beyond the competition, the festival offers live music, hands-on sand sculpting opportunities, family-friendly activities, and plenty of chances to admire the incredible creations lining the shoreline. Whether you’re entering the contest or simply looking for something fun to do with the family, the Sand Sculpting Festival has become one of the signature summer events in the Wildwoods.

The event is free to attend and will be held rain or shine on the beach at Heather Road in Wildwood Crest. For additional information, visit WildwoodCrest.org or call 609-523-0202.

A special thank you to our buddy, Mark Matthews, at 42Freeway.com for these photos.

And if you’re a fan of sand sculpting, be sure to subscribe to the Wildwood Video Archive YouTube channel. This Saturday, we’ll be releasing a special behind-the-scenes feature on local sand sculptor Mike Fortino, who created an incredible Wildwood Video Archive logo entirely out of sand. We spent time with Mike on the beach as he shared why he’s been creating these amazing sculptures for decades and showed us exactly how he brings them to life. It’s a video you won’t want to miss.