SANDCASTLE DAYS '96

OPEN CATEGORIES Over the past nine years of this contest we have seen the amateur sculptures improve in leaps and bounds. We still aren't seeing the kind of quantities of sculptures you'd think we could attract with our beautiful beach, exceptional weather and free entry -- but the quality is right up there. Special thanks to Danny and Mark and all the San Marcos Suns crew -- we shudder to think what our open categories would look like without your vast numbers and extraordinary sandsculpting skills. Congrats on all your many victories this year! 1ST PLACE - TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP > "SEA IT MY WAY" by Danny Dever & Mark Lambdin of San Marcos. It's not every day one gets to see a giant one-eyed alien pig basking in the sun. This one was exceptionally cool.
< ADULT TEAM-2ND PLACE & PEOPLES' CHOICE "Mesa Verde" A last-minute team comprised of several San Marcos folks and local ringer Big Wave Dave made good use of the beach's multi-colored layers.
3RD PLACE - TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP > The "Grateful Dunehead" and his colleagues from the South Padre Island Brewing Company built a monument of sorts to the product they serve -- and placed in the top three of the championship category while they were at it. The Brew Pub Crew had issued a challenge to other Island eateries to compete with them in this event, but not one of them took them up on it. Last we looked this baby was still standing -- an attractive billboard, strategically placed -- it must be a thorn in the side of the Brew Pub's competitors. We can only hope they will not let this challenge go unmet another year.

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