Dozens of teams of master sand sculpture artists, amateur groups and families will construct remarkable creations in the sand as Cannon Beach, Oregon celebrates the 50th anniversary of its annual Sandcastle Contest on Saturday, June 21. It's the oldest sandcastle contest in the Northwest and the most popular annual event in this North Oregon Coast town. It was recently awarded status as an Oregon Heritage Tradition event.

The annual contest brings together experienced masters teams who compete for cash prizes. Their monumental sculptures typically utilize construction forms, similar to those used for pouring concrete. Sand is shoveled, tamped and packed into the forms to make large, elaborate sand sculpture creations possible without crumbling under their own weight.

This year, the building begins at 11am and the sand sculptures are best viewed as they near completion during the mid-to-late afternoon. The temporary works of art are usually washed away with the next high tide.

Although the sand sculptures on Saturday are the highlight of the weekend, visitors will find plenty of other activities to keep them busy. Weekend activities include a spaghetti dinner, parade, concert, beach bonfire and a 5K fun run and walk. Portland Trailblazer ambassador, Jerome Kersey will attend the Friday night dinner and present awards to the winners as they are announced at 4pm Saturday on the beach.

Those who would like to join in the building can reserve a plot at the CannonBeach.org website. Masters teams must have previously won in the large group division at this or another major sandcastle event to qualify. Other divisions are open to anyone looking for fun. A $15 to $20 entry fee per builder includes a commemorative t-shirt.

The Sandcastle Contest is one of the most popular weekends in Cannon Beach so make hotel reservations early. This is the only day of the year parking is allowed on the beach in Cannon Beach, accommodating thousands of day trippers from 11am-5pm on the day of the event.

See the full schedule of weekend events.

For information on the Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest, entry forms or lodging information, visit cannonbeach.org or contact the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce at (503) 436-2623.