By MOOK Travel Life Network Wei Ruiwei, compiled and reported
The "2012 Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival" will take place from May 5 to June 24 at Fulong Beach. The event will showcase 44 sand sculptures crafted by 36 world-class "sand artists" from 8 countries. The sculpture of "Jeremy Lin" has just been completed and has already attracted many fans to take photos with it. Additionally, from April 24 to May 3, the festival will host the "International Sand Sculpture Invitational Competition" for the first time in four years, during which visitors can watch the sculptors at work.
The skilled sand sculptors have created life-like portraits almost to scale, expressing their support for Taiwan’s pride. (Photo provided by the Northeast Coast & Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration, Tourism Bureau)
Liu Shih-ming, deputy director of the Northeast Coast & Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Tourism Bureau, stated: "This year, we have invited sand sculpture masters from the United States, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Latvia, Singapore, Taiwan, and China to compete. A total of 5,000 tons of fine sand will be used to create 44 sand sculptures, including 3 super-large sculptures, 18 medium-sized ones, and 23 small ones. Both the quantity and scale will break previous records (last year there were 41 sculptures using 4,500 tons of sand)."
One of the highlights of this year’s sand sculptures includes Jeremy Lin, who shines in the NBA, and Yani Tseng, a star in international golf, both recently named among Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people. Also featured is Wang Chien-ming from the U.S. Major League. This year will also see the U.S. and Canada showcasing giant sand sculptures themed around “Fairy Tale World” and “Universal Studios,” such as Shrek, Batman vs. Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the Fantastic Four—each standing 6.5 meters tall and 16 meters wide. Taiwan will present a theme titled “Dragon Coiling Around Fulong,” featuring works such as “Dragon Boat Racing,” “Dragon Mountain Temple,” “Guanyin Riding a Dragon,” “Dragon Gives Birth to a Noble Son,” and “Rocking Dragon.” Japan will also display sculptures inspired by the movie Jurassic Park, including dinosaurs.
Representatives of sand sculptors from 8 countries participated in the carving ceremony on April 21, holding a dragon ball and preparing to place it in the dragon's mouth, symbolizing the official start of the event. (Photo provided by the Northeast Coast & Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration, Tourism Bureau)
During the event, sand sculpture DIY workshops will be held on public holidays. Visitors who purchase the "Taiwan Good to Go Sand Sculpture Festival Ticket Package" can enjoy a discounted price of NT$350, which includes a one-day bus pass, round-trip train tickets on the Taiwan Railways Administration’s local line, admission to Fulong Beach, a Fulong boxed lunch, and the Golden Fulong Line passport. For more details, please call 02-2499-1210 ext. 228 or visit the official website at www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw.
● Extended Reading: "Ocean Independent Music Awards" Now Open for Registration with Prizes Up to NT$200,000
http://www.tripass.net/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=7130