BeachFest brings sculptors, families, performers to Headlands Beach
Jul. 15—Rain held off on the morning of July 15 for Mentor's Headlands BeachFest, with sand sculptors, vendors, aerial performers and others joining in for the annual event.
This year's festival included entertainment, a family sandcastle contest, a kids tent, a DJ, food trucks, craft vendors and more, said Mentor Recreation Superintendent Nita Justice. Visitors also watched as three "world-famous sand sculptors" designed sculptures for the third and final day of the Ohio Master Sand Sculpting Competition.
"It's just a nice family event to bring families out to the beach," she added.
Local sculptor Carl Jara designed a sculpture featuring monarch butterflies. He said that he was inspired by his and his daughter's shared love for the insect.
"I do this because I love it," he said. "I can take 12 tons of material and make a sculpture this size in less than a week. And it's lucrative. I can get paid to do this. And I get to come back year after year after year, so there's job security."
Jara noted that he has participated in BeachFest for a decade. In addition to Headlands, he has designed sculptures in 13 countries, 38 states and four Canadian provinces over a 32-year career.
Nearby, New Hampshire sculptor Greg Grady designed a frog for his seventh BeachFest. He is the son of a sand sculptor, and over 15 years he has designed projects around the country as well as in Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Japan.
"It's always a pleasure to come back and create something with people on the beach," he said.
Finally, sculptor Isabelle Gasse came to BeachFest from Quebec City in Canada. A Mentor news release noted that she has designed movie sets and worked on sand sculptors "on beaches around the world," competing in events in her home country and internationally.
Justice noted that Jara helps organize the contest and recommends the other artists, while visitors vote on the winning sculptures. Some of last year's sculptures remained until January.
In addition to watching the sand sculptors and voting on their work, she said that visiting families had an opportunity to work with the sand themselves during a family sandcastle-building contest. Kids could also meet a Disney princess and participate in various other activities at a kids tent.
Near the festival's entrance, representatives from the Jasmine Dragons engaged in aerial performances, while a kite group was stationed down the beach. Vendors sold clothing, jewelry, ceramics and food in a nearby parking lot.
According to the city's website, BeachFest brings more than 15,000 people "from across Northeast Ohio as well as surrounding states" to Headlands each year.
