The annual Long Beach sand sculpture festival in August is definitely a locals event.  Men, women, Cal State students, and children all come to the beach at Belmont Shore to create modest and sometimes whacky sculpture.  It's fun--not the ultra-challenging, over-the-top event that some professional beach sculpture contests are.   The only prizes are the compliments from passers-by.

So here is a sample of what we saw in August 2011.

At the entry to the festival was a 6 foot tall work of art in sand celebrating Long Beach's 100th birthday.  This one definitely looks as if it has been built by a professional sand sculptor.

Who says you need sand for beach sculpture?  Three young women (only two are shown here) posed as living sand figures to entertain the crowds.  They changed their poses from time to time and ended up coated in sand.

Students from Cal State University Long Beach created a replica of a landmark building on their campus.

What would a sand sculpture festival be if it didn't have a sculpture of a big guy taking in the rays.  This one wears a swimsuit bedecked with small shells.

And the prove that this festival attracts all ages and all interests, here is a man putting some final touches on one of the 7 dwarfs.  (Snow White was no where to be seen!)