What should have been a celebration of world-class artistry turned into a heartbreaking setback for competitors at the Parksville Beach Festival after vandals damaged several elaborate sand sculptures just hours before one of the event’s biggest moments. Now, organizers are offering a reward for information as they work with RCMP to identify whoever entered the secured competition site overnight Saturday and vandalized multiple sculptures ahead of the festival’s public opening. Staff arrived around 6 a.m. Sunday to discover the damage. Four competition sculptures had been kicked and climbed on, destroying some of their highest and most intricate features. Organizers say sponsor displays carved into a nearby sand berm had also been gouged with a shovel, while two of three interactive sand monsters built for visitors were kicked in. “It was really disheartening,” said Cheryl Dill, president of the Parksville Beach Festival Society. “There were tears. Our volunteers were emotional. We’ve been working countless hours to put on a fantastic event, and it’s just heartbreaking that someone would do something like this.” The timing could hardly have been worse. “Sunday is when it all comes together,” Dill said. “Instead of spending those final valuable hours refining their work, several artists had to repair damage that couldn’t simply be undone.” For many competitors, the damage struck the most technically challenging parts of their sculptures. Several of the broken sections were near the tops of creations reaching roughly 10 feet high, where artists had carefully sculpted delicate details while pushing the limits of what compacted sand can support. But what happened next became its own story. Rather than focusing on the competition, artists immediately rallied around one another, helping repair damaged sculptures before the exhibition opened to visitors. “They’re like a big family,” Dill said. “90 per cent of these sculptors have been coming here for years. They love Parksville. They basically said, ‘We’re going to make this happen. We’re going to fix it and move on.’” That same spirit carried into the judging. After meeting with master judge Peter Vogelaar, the competitors decided to split the doubles division prize purse that is worth $9,300, evenly among every team, recognizing that nearly half the entries had lost valuable competition time through no fault of their own. “It really came from the sculptors themselves,” Dill said. “They’re family. They work together around the world, whether it’s sand, snow, ice or stone. They wanted to make sure everyone was treated fairly.” She said the decision brought tears during the awards ceremony and reflected the close-knit international community that returns to Parksville year after year. While artists repaired their work, festival staff began trying to determine what happened. Organizers contacted RCMP and the City of Parksville to review security camera footage. Dill said information from a member of the public has already helped investigators narrow the timeline they’re examining. The festival is still offering a reward for information leading to those responsible, although Dill said organizers are not yet disclosing the amount. The incident has also prompted them to review security measures for the remainder of the five-week exhibition. “This is a learning opportunity for all of us,” Dill said. “We’re working with our security company to make sure we have the coverage we need moving forward.” Despite the setback, visitors can still experience this year’s “Beauties and Beasts” exhibition, which remains open through Aug. 16.
