Blankenberge sand sculpture
AROUND THE WORLD
This summer the sand sculpture festival will take you on a relaxing and fascinating journey to 100 of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and most impressive tourist attractions.
Man’s urge to travel is as old as man himself. It was this urge which first led to the great voyages of discovery. Get ready to make your own voyage of discovery through stunning continents and exciting cultures. Meet many of history’s great figures along the way. Follow in the footsteps of great globetrotters and adventurers. Visit some of the most famous cultural monuments in the world. Your journey will take you to more than 40 countries.
5 CONTINENTS, 40 COUNTRIES
Marvel at mankind’s greatest treasures on five continents. The wonders of Mother Nature, but also man-made wonders: the biggest cathedrals, castles and palaces, the tallest buildings and the longest bridges. Discover the Forbidden City and the Lost Army, and stand face to face with some of our planet’s strangest inhabitants.
40 ARTISTS, 9 NATIONALITIES
Human hands are capable of making beautiful and awe-inspiring buildings. Just look at our rich architectural heritage throughout the centuries. ‘Around the World’ is built by the talented hands of more than 40 sand artists, who come from the four corners of the globe. This year we are fortunate to welcome the very best artists from Belgium, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Mexico. They will transform no fewer than 80 lorry loads of Belgian sand into 100 of the most magnificent wonders our world has to offer. New this year is the creation of coloured sculptures.
100 DESTINATIONS
The whole world is within your reach, the whole summer long. Here are just some of the countries you can visit: Africa, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Greece, Holland, India, Japan, Morocco, Norway, Peru, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the Far East, the United States, ... Why don’t you join us on our journey?
‘Sand World, Around the World’ opens its doors to the public from 28 May to 31 August
“The world is a story without end”, Marco Polo.
SAND SCULPTURE JOINS FORCES WITH UNESCO
A group of experts compiled a new wonders of the world list in 2006, selecting 21 nominations from 77 buildings. This list, together with the far longer list of cultural and natural heritage sites compiled by the UN organisation UNESCO, has proved the inspiration to 40 international artists for the annual Sand Sculpture Festival in Blankenberge.
Give more than 40 artists from all four corners of the world a completely free rein with no fewer than 80 lorry loads of Belgian sand and this is the result: ‘Around the World’; 100 of the most popular tourist destinations and most impressive tourist attractions in the world. They include 18 American, 45 European, 20 Asian, 9 Australian and 8 African sights; from the architectural to historical, from old to contemporary. But Mother Nature’s wonders – the architect to whom we all must humbly bow - can also be marvelled at. There are more than 40 countries to be visited, and colour sculptures will also be introduced at this year’s special event too.
This year’s Sand Sculpture Festival on the Flemish coast will be the twelfth one held. The organisers believe this festival boasts the most content by far since the annual festival started in Zeebrugge in 1997. This is noticeable in all aspects of the show. The amount of sand used during previous events suddenly fell way short of requirements. The number of timber casing the carvers use to form the massive sand blocks prior to commencing on the actual sculpture also proved insufficient. Even the programme leaflet will be a veritable travel guide. Every effort is being made to get the 100 wonders of the world ready for 28 May. The festival’s educational theme is the reason why for the first time the festival will already open at the end of May this year. A great number of school activities at preferential rates have been devised by Klasse and Maks (Flemish Department of Education bodies). Simply show your student or teacher pass upon admission to enjoy a four euro discount per person. Moreover, you’ll receive a travel guide outlining the story route of the 100 wonders of the world, free of charge.
Human hands are capable of creating unique buildings; a testament to our rich architectural heritage through the ages. ‘Around the World’ will be built by the talented hands of more than 40 sand artists, originating from the four corners of the world. No fewer than 80 lorry loads of Belgian sand will be transformed into the best our world has to offer. This year’s artists hail from Belgium, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Russia, the Ukraine, Poland, India, China and Mexico.
This festival will exhibit 100 3D wonders, with a travel guide taking you on a journey to visit humanity’s treasures. Throughout the summer the whole world will lie at your feet in Blankenberge. The countries you can visit include: Norway, Denmark, Poland, Russia, Greece, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Italy, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, the Sahara, Australia, Oceania, Argentinia, Canada, America, Cuba, Alaska, Mexico, Peru, Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, Siberia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Thailand, China and Brazil. In short: a spectacular, educational – but most especially – unforgettable journey around the world for all the family to enjoy.
Tickets are on sale at the Festival kiosk, and on the trains and the coastal tram. There’s no need to book. Tickets can also be bought online. Children between 4-12 years old pay 7 euros; OAPs, students and disabled persons pay 9 euros, and adults 11 euros per person. A group discount of 2 euros per person applies to groups of 10 +. Admission for children under 4 and guides is free.
The Sand Sculpture is in walking distance of Blankenberge train station (800m). Its location makes travelling by either train or the coastal tram ideal, and it’s affordable. Nor will you have to queue at the Festival kiosk. The coastal tram stops just before the entrance (by Sea Life). The B day trip, or Plus Pass, can be purchased at every station and at every tram stop.
Unique coastal location: there is a free bus route and free car parking on the festival grounds – by the entrance and in walking distance of the beach. Those requiring assistance can park in allocated places alongside the kiosk. Pathways make the Festival accessible to wheelchair users and disabled persons. Car park attendants are on hand. A Festival tram also rides throughout the summer between the station and the Sand Sculpture, along the sea wall and the Pier. Please keep dogs on leads at all times.
Thirsty after your global travels? The exceptional food & beverage tent is a nostalgic art deco mirror palace, dating back to 1948. The brilliance from countless lights in the fine mirrors provide a romantic ambience, reminiscent of days gone by. Take a seat in one of the convivial compartments, enjoy the red-brown ambience of mahogany, the French crystal and the range of local beers on offer on the sunny terrace, overlooking the sculptures. The wealth of sandy works of art are housed under enormous tents.
‘Around the world’ will be open to the public between 28 May and 31 August 2010 from 10.00 – 19.00 hrs, on the Kon. Albert I-laan, opposite the Sea Life Centre. Come and visit 100 inspirational sights you really must see!
For more information please contact the Festival press office on +32(0)50/200.465 or send an email to pers@zandsculptuur.be.
Sand sculpture festival breaks world record
This year, the Sand sculpture festival in Blankenberge is featuring its longest sculpture promenade ever. After achieving the European height record in Zeebrugge, the festival is now vying for the world record. The length of 841,80 metres was taken and it is enough to become the longest sand sculpture festival in the world, good for a more than a two-hour walk. The organisation is currently waiting for official publication in the Guinness Book of Records.
Over the coming months, the sand sculptures can be admired in Blankenberge. The festival started one month earlier this year, due to the large number of sculptures and artists. As of 28 May, the new theme ‘Reis om de Wereld’ (‘Travel Around the World’) can be discovered. The festival runs until 31 August.
“This edition promises to be one of the best of the past few years”, Alexander Deman, festival organiser explains. “It is a real trip around the world. Never before have so many artists come to Blankenberge. With this world record, we are already the biggest sand museum in the world.”
This summer, the Sand sculpture festival offers a relaxing trip to the most popular travel destinations and impressive points of interest in the world. A total of 171 scenes have been sculpted: 73 European, 43 Asian, 19 African, 17 North American, 10 South American and 9 Oceanian. Some 40 countries on six continents are on the programme. One can walk along the most important world wonders, the most visited cultural monuments and meet some of the greatest heroes of our history.
Since a new list of world wonders was chosen in 2006, a group of professionals selected 77 monuments. During the two preparatory months, this list, along with the one of the UN organisation UNESCO, was the inspiration for 40 international artists mainly from Europe, the United States and Russia.
Just like in the past, the organisation has not left anything to chance and has set up many artworks in tents. The first tent features 90 sculptures from 24 countries, while the second tent has 70 sculptures for 16 European countries. “The weather is not affecting festival. We limited ourselves to 10 wonders of the world outdoors, such as the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Eiffel Tower,” Deman explains.
The free programme booklet serves as a travel guide along the biggest treasures of humanity on six continents. In short, it is spectacular, educational, but especially a not to be missed world journey for every family.
‘Sand World, Reis om de Wereld’ (‘Sand World, Trip Around the World’) is open every day until 31 August. The festival can be visited daily from 10 am to 7 pm, with free parking at the door.