June 1, 2025

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Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest

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Two people drag a wooden stick across the top of a wooden box-like form, smoothing the sand inside. Spectators watch in the background. — 1 of 24
Cannon Beach, Ore., on Oregon's North Coast, held its 59th annual Sandcastle Contest on Saturday, June 10th, 2023. Members of Team Pug Love worked on sculpting a sand base in their winning entry, smoothing sand in a wooden form.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Seven people, most of them in matching shirts, work on sculpting various parts of a pug-themed pumpkin patch, including a pumpkin with the face of a pug, and a wagon covered in hay bales. — 2 of 24
Team Pug Love worked on their winning entry, "Pugkin Patch," as spectators looked on.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Dozens of people sitting or walking in the sand, with event booths in the foreground, competition plots behind them, and the shore and ocean waves in the background, under a sunny blue sky. — 3 of 24
Spectators dotted the beach as competitors worked on building their sand sculptures.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

4 of 24
Masters Division winning team, Form Finders, used forms to pack and build the base of a sand sculpture.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A man, woman and child kneel and stand on the beach in their competition plot, building a sandcastle together. The man is using a smoothing tool while the child uses a rake. Big white buckets and a smaller bucket for tools are in the foreground. The plot is roped off with red tape, and spectators are watching in the background. — 5 of 24
The team Las Tortugas Marinas Verdes worked on building their sandcastle, which won the third place prize in the Small Groups Division.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Two smiling girls, wearing official judges vests, sashes with their titles, and blue event t-shirts. The girl on the left is wearing a tiara and holding a clipboard. — 6 of 24
Miss North Coast Teen Miss North Coast Teen 2023 Milly McCalmon, left, and Miss Warrenton 2023 Bailee Green, were volunteer judges of the Sand Fleas, Juniors and Teen Divisions.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Hands hold a small pouch with two sugar gliders inside. — 7 of 24
Spectator Deb Tate brought along her sugar gliders, Chip and Dale, and said, "they ran a half marathon last weekend, so this weekend they get to do the sandcastle [contest] instead."
Jenn Chávez / OPB

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(Left to right) Volunteers Justin Parker, Robin Risley and Michelle Alexander judged the contest's Master Division, which Risley called "the cream of the crop."
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A girl with her back turned smiles and sculpts a pumpkin with the face of a pug. Another girl behind her does the same. Both are wearing matching team sweatshirts. — 9 of 24
Team members of Team Pug Love sculpted pumpkins with the face of a pug as part of their winning entry, "Pugkin Patch."
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A woman wearing sunglasses, warm vest and a white baseball cap, and a man wearing a sweatshirt and gray baseball cap, smile seated in beach chairs on the beach. — 10 of 24
Spectator June Griffin (right) set up chairs by the Masters Division competition plots, and said, "I'm just fascinated on how it all works, so I wanted to be out here early so I could see the beginning to the end."
Jenn Chávez, Jenn Chávez / OPB

Seven people work on various parts of the beginning of a sand sculpture. One pours ocean water into a sand form the center, while several more rake sand in the foreground. Most of them are wearing blue event t-shirts. — 11 of 24
The team Ozymandias began sculpting their entry, "Turtles All The Way Down," which won second place in the Masters Division.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A block of sand in the foreground reads "TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN." A large turtle has a smaller turtle on its back which has a castle on its back. Spectators look on in the background. — 12 of 24
The team Ozymandias' Masters Division entry, which won second place, was called "Turtles All The Way Down." It featured stacked sea turtles with a castle on their backs.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Over a dozen simple sandcastles of various sizes is surrounded by a wall made of sand. Spectators walk by in the background. — 13 of 24
One entry featured a city of small sandcastles, surrounded by a sandy wall.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

This sand sculpture features a cat seated on a throne and a pointed tower with Egyptian hieroglyphs at the base, and in the foreground, an open coffin with a mummy inside sitting up. Spectators are looking on and taking photos in the background. — 14 of 24
"Hair to the Throne," the winning Masters Division entry, features elements of Egyptian art and architecture, with a centerpiece, left, of a cat seated on a throne.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Nine people, most of them wearing matching team t-shirts, pose before the main event stage wearing gold medals. — 15 of 24
The team Form Finders won the Masters Division with its Egyptian-inspired sand sculpture, "Hair to the Throne."
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Several sand sculptures are behind a sand block sign reading "PUGKIN PATCH." There are pumpkins with the faces of pug dogs, and a wagon with hay bales on it. Spectators walk by on the beach in the background. — 16 of 24
Team Pug Love won first place in the contest's Large Group Division with their pumpkin patch and pug-themed entry, "Pugkin Patch."
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A sand sculpture of a big lobster, octopus and sea turtle, all facing each other in the center. Written in the sand in partial view is "Rock, Paper, Scissors." Spectators watch and take pictures in the background. — 17 of 24
The team Juicy Fat Lobsters won third place in the Large Group Division with this sand sculpture of a lobster, octopus and sea turtle.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A sand sculpture of a large sea creature with tentacles stretching out, with a message reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC AND TEDDY" in the foreground. Beach chairs are set up to the left of the competition plot, with spectators in the background. — 18 of 24
This sculpture of a sea creature, created by team Baker's Loaf, has a birthday message drawn into the sand before it.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Five people pose smiling on the beach wearing gold medals. The man in the center wears an Elliott Smith t-shirt. Their three dogs are also pictured in the frame. — 19 of 24
The team Turtilla Flotilla took first place in the Small Groups Division for their sea turtle-themed sand sculpture.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Six adults and four kids pose smiling in the sand, with their dog on a leash. The kids are wearing their first place medals. — 20 of 24
The team Sea Beagles, pictured here with family members, won first place in the Juniors Division for their Haystack Rock-themed sand sculpture.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Three adults and three young children pose and smile in the sand before the events stage. — 21 of 24
A team in the 6-and-under Sand Fleas Division and their family posed with medals and ribbons.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

A sand sculpture of a reclining sphinx statue, with spectators in the background. — 22 of 24
This sculpture of a sand sphinx was called "Sand Guardian."
Jenn Chávez / OPB

Three children hold up ribbons wearing medals. They're all smiling big before the event stage, and some are wearing blue event t-shirts. They stand before the event stage in the sand. — 23 of 24
Children in the 6-and-under Sand Fleas Division posed and smiled, showing off their ribbons and medals.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

On a beach, a white sandwich board is printed with "THANK YOU FOR COMING." The ocean and Haystack Rock are in view in the background, with a sunny blue sky. — 24 of 24
A beach sign thanked spectators for coming, with Cannon Beach's iconic Haystack Rock in view.
Jenn Chávez / OPB

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