Sandcastle and Sculpture Contest

July 20, 2024 8:12 PM • Last Updated: July 20, 2024 8:15 PM

Paul Halferty, right foreground, of Old Lyme, with niece Aislinn Rocks and nephew Luke Rocks of Springfield, Va., of Team Michelangelo, work on their hermit crab sculpture during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. The team won the Seaside Squad Division trophy. Later, Niantic’s Main Street was closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy photo reprints

Team Salty Dogs members Julia Tierney, 11, and her father, Brendan, of Niantic sculpt the chess pieces for their sand sculpture Check Mate during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Julia’s grandfathers, John Godman and Michael Tierney, both of Niantic, not pictured, also worked on the sculpture. The team won the Poseidon Prize, the judges’ honorable mention trophy. Niantic’s Main Street was later closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music, and the event ended with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy photo reprints

Team Talk to the Sand, from left, Erin Dighello, of Wallingford, Sean Demers, Holden Costa, both of East Lyme, and Caroline Sadler of Groton work on their Mininon, a movie character, sand sculpture during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Later, Niantic’s Main Street was closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy Photo Reprints

From right, Paul Halferty, of Old Lyme, his niece, Aislinn Rocks, and nephew Luke Rocks, of Springfield, Va., of Team Michelangelo, work on the finishing touches on their hermit crab sculpture during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. The team won the Seaside Squad Division trophy. Later, Niantic’s Main Street was closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy photo reprints

Julia Tierney, 11, right, and her grandfather, Michael Tierney of Niantic look at their completed sand sculpture Check Mate after she and her father, Brendan, third from left, and grandfather, John Godman, second from left, in background, created it during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. The team won the Poseidon Prize, the judges’ honorable mention. Later, Niantic’s Main Street was closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy photo reprints

Team Los Gatos, from left, Declan Monahan, 11, of Newark, Del., and grandmothers, Patti Monahan, of Preston, Monique Giese, of Simsbury, help his brother, Casey Monahan, 7, in the background, right, with more wet sand, with his octopus. Declan helps after finishing his crab sculpture during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Niantic’s Main Street was later closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music and the event ended with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy photo reprints

Team Michelangelo, Paul Halferty, right, of Old Lyme, his nephew, Luke Rocks, and niece, Aislinn Rocks, of Springfield, Va., celebrate their hermit crab sculpture winning the Seaside Squad Division trophy during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Later, Niantic’s Main Street was closed for more than 200 creative, community and business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day) Buy photo reprints

East Lyme – A sandcastle building and carving competition was held on Saturday morning at Hole in the Wall Beach as part of Celebrate East Lyme Day.

There were 3 categories of competition: Jellyfish, ages 12 and under, Seaside Squad, mixed-age team/family, and Poseidon Prize, judges’ choice. Only indigenous materials were allowed.

Team Michelangelo – Paul Halferty of Old Lyme, and his cousins Luke Rocks and Aislinn Rocks of Springfield, Virginia – won the Seaside Squad Division with their hermit crab sculpture.

Team Salty Dog, consisting of Brendan Tierney, his daughter Julia Tierney, 11, his father Michael Tierney and father-in-law John Godman, all of Niantic, won the judges’ choice Poseidon Prize.

Aiden Hastings, 8, of Wright, Tennessee, won the jellyfish category for children 12 and under.

Later in the day, a one-mile stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue/Main Street was closed from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for artisans, community groups and businesses. Music venues were located along Main Street.

St. John’s Episcopal Church also held its annual summer carnival on the lawn across from the church on Main Street.

The day ended with fireworks over Niantic Bay.