South Beach State Park Brings Back Sandcastle Competition to Central Oregon Coast's Newport

Published 8/17/24 at 6:55 a.m.
By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection

(Newport, Oregon) – One of the few events of its kind organized by Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) returns next week to the central Oregon coast and promises a rollicking but artistically-inclined time on the beach.

South Beach State Park to be exact: OPRD brings back its longtime and beloved annual South Beach State Park Sandcastle Competition on Saturday, August 24. It all gets underway at 10 a.m.

The event is free and it's family-friendly.

“It has been a favorite at South Beach State Park since 2001,” said OPRD.

It's a chance to coax out your artistic side, and you can join up as a team or as an individual. Contestants have two hours to build their sandy masterpiece, and then spectators, participants and OPRD staff will vote for the winners.

Not far from here is Yaquina Bay Lighthouse and its curious history.

Awards are handed out at 1 p.m., and builders can begin registering at 9:45 a.m. Sculpting on the beach ends at noon. Prizes will be given for first, second and third place in the general voting, and there will be a judges' choice award for staff favorite.

Courtesy Oregon State Parks

“Spectators are encouraged to arrive anytime and vote for their favorites beginning at noon,” OPRD said.

OPRD said there will be some building tools available to borrow, however they recommend you bring your own gear.

All of it is held on the beach near the day-use area, at the southern side of Newport's South Beach district. Parking is free.

The park is one of the biggest on the Oregon coast, stretching almost a mile down the southern side of Yaquina Bay. Containing a wide range of trails through thick brush and marsh, it has well over 200 camping sites with electricity and water.

It's also been host to major festivals in the past, like the Renaissance festival that was held there for many years.

Starting at the south jetty of Yaqina Bay, it opens up to about a dozen miles worth of beaches down the central Oregon coast. It's a historic park as well, with trails that are usable for bikes as well as on foot. Also see Not THAT South Beach: Newport's South Beach Mix of Oregon Coast Whimsical to Atmospheric

The beach accesses bring you out onto a vast expanse of sand and that interesting structure of the South Beach Jetty in the distance.

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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