The largest native sand sculpture competition in North America is bringing visitors and artists from around the world to the little sliver of paradise of Port Aransas, Texas.
"You know, if you're bored in Port Aransas, it's your fault, that's all there is to it. Because they have something for everybody, all the time," Gammon said.
Flip Gammon has volunteered at the Texas SandFest for two years and sees firsthand how the event impacts the coastal community.
Visitors like Jared Laning from Temple, Texas, make the event an annual tradition.
"We love SandFest. We came last year, got addicted, decided to make it a yearly thing, brought out little fur children this time," Laning said.
The pet- and family-friendly festival offers activities for all ages, but the main attraction remains the impressive sand sculptures created by professional sand sculptors.
"It is the largest native sand sculpture competition in North America. We're able to use the great sands here in Port Aransas to make these massive sand sculptures, these pieces of art for people to love, and it's all native sand," said Brett Stawar, President and CEO of the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau.
While the sand is native to Port Aransas, the sculptors come from across the globe. Abe Waterman traveled from Prince Edward Island, Canada, to participate in this year's event. It's his 10th year coming down to compete in SandFest.
"The sand is really good. It does dry up. And it's always windy, is one of the tricky parts, but it's a great, great crowd here and they treat us really well," Waterman said.
The festival serves as a major economic driver for Port Aransas, filling short-term vacation rentals and bringing tourists to local businesses.
"We get to showcase a lot of our properties, help our owners get more exposure, more income for them, it brings more people to the island so it's a win-win all around," said Jennifer Murphy, a member of the accounting team at Life in Paradise Vacation Rentals.
Beyond tourism dollars, the event supports the local community through charitable donations.
"Money raised goes to Port Aransas ISD, and they give to 16 different charities and nonprofits, so it really does benefit the community and what they do here is just–it's amazing work," Gammon said.
Texas SandFest continues through Sunday, April 27th. An adult wristband for three-day access costs $30, and children ages six years and under can get in for free. For moreinformation about SandFest and the schedule of this weekend's events, click here.
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