Mermaids, Pokemon Sea Creature Are Top Winners at 26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest

Sand sculptures of Three Mermaids, a Pokemon Cell Phone and the Creature from the Black Lagoon thrilled Coney Island beach goers as the top three winners of the 26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest presented by Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) and Astella Development Corp on August 20.

The 26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest featured approximately 60 sand sculptures created by amateur and semi-professional sand sculptors competing in the family, individual adult and adult group sand sculpting categories. The judges included NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP and Johanna G. Sherman, Vice President, Astella Development Corp and Founder & Chairperson of the Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest. The winners were based on unique creativity and artistic execution. These three winning sand sculptures received a $250 cash prize, a fun time in the sand and sand sculpting bragging rights:

The winners were: Adult Group: "Creature from the Black Lagoon" by Larry Watkins, Dave Bobal and Tom Oldewurtel; Family Group: "Pokemon Cell Phone" by the Allison and Daniel Andrade and their children and Individual Adult: "Three Mermaids" by Jose Aguirre

"What better way to enjoy the summertime than a sand sculpting contest in iconic Coney Island?" said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, who was also a judge. "For more than 25 years, people of all ages have flocked to the beach and boardwalk to witness incredible feats of sand artistry, and this year was no different. The contest makes fun and creative use of one of New York City's most treasured beaches, and Parks is always happy to host it. We thank our generous partners at Brooklyn Community Services, Astella Development Corp., and the Alliance for Coney Island for making this a favorite event for New Yorkers year after year."

"The 26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest was a fun, family day at historic Coney Island beach. The public was thrilled to watch semi-professional and amateur sand sculptors from all over the country create some of the most beautiful and artistic sculptures," said Jodi Querbach, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Programs at Brooklyn Community Services. "This year marks Brooklyn Community Services 150th Anniversary. At BCS we celebrate the strength of the human spirit. We would like to thank the Coney Island community for the opportunity to host this great event."

Attendees included NY State Assembly Member Pamela Harris, a lifelong Coney Island resident; NYC Council Member Mark Treyger; and Marla Simpson, Executive Director, Brooklyn Community Services. The afternoon also featured music by DJ Xlence, the Santos Latin band, Brooklyn Dance Center and Coney Island Brooklyn Public Library's children's summer reading program. An original sand sculpture was built on the beach that saluted Brooklyn Community Services' 150th anniversary, which is a year-long celebration.

The Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest was co-sponsored by Fine Fare Supermarket, State Senator Diane Savino and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. For more photos, check out Brooklyn Community Services on FACEBOOK or www.wearebcs.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jelani Thomas