Imperial Beach will host a sandcastle competition this summer, according to the Port of San Diego.
The event on June 30 will be a smaller scale version of the former U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, which was shuttered in 2011. U.S. Open Sandcastle directors said increasing costs as well as a lack of volunteers, committee members and resources made the event impossible to continue.
But the event on June 30 is expected to be more subdued.
“It’s more of a sun and sea type of event,” said Jim Hutzelman with the Port of San Diego.
The Port of San Diego has committed $40,000 for the event’s production costs, and Hutzelman said the Imperial Beach Optimist Club will also help.
Last year, the seaside city hosted a free kids festival which will be absorbed by this new sandcastle event. Hutzelman said this year will be more of a family event which will take form of either an exhibition or competition.
Hutzelman also said the downtown sandcastle competition during Labor Day weekend will also continue this year.
The name of the event will be decided later this week.
Photo Credit: Victoria Pickering