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From Denny: It's like the late summer ritual when everyone floods their local beaches to make one last sand art for the season. It's back to school, back to work and the season is changing into the cooler autumn when our attention turns away from summer vacations to the coming cooler months and holidays.
Get a grin at the creativity that showed up in the beach themes of a mermaid, an octopus, sharks, feet in beach flip flop sandals, alligators, a bedraggled female surfer and a huge grinning face.
These photos are all from the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce that sponsored a beach art competition.
Sand isn't just for sitting on and relaxing at the shore. In Nantucket sand is taken seriously and each year this Massachusetts island celebrates the coast with a sandcastle and sculpture day.
This year's competition, held on 21 August, yielded more than 50 sculptures for what has become a late-summer ritual.
The rules are simple: be creative. Tools and building aids, ornaments and decorations all may be used, but none are supplied.
Contestants are urged to work with biodegradable items, and must take away any non-biodegradable items used.
Contestants may enter in one of four categories: family team, adult team, 11-to-16-year-olds, and 10 and under. The age group of a team is determined by its oldest member. A family is considered a team if adults participate. Family members not registered can cheer all they want but must keep their hands off the sand.
Add a little water and suddenly sand turns into sandcastles.
Judging is based on creativity, concept and design.
Previous entries have included everything from Nantucket Lightship Baskets to Volkswagon Bugs.
All participants receive a ribbon - and a People's Choice ribbon is also awarded. Judges are professional artists from the faculty of the Nantucket Island School of Design.
Even if you can't carve magic out of the sand, the event at Jetties Beach is free for spectators and anybody can show up.
Spectators pack the beach to see contestants make magic out of the sand.
See kids, mermaids really do exist.
Here an Octopus washes up on shore.
*** All photos by Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce
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