Sandcastles and sculptures

July 20, 2024 8:12 pm • Last Updated: July 20, 2024 10:10 pm

By Dana Jensen
Staff Photographer

d.jensen@theday.com

Paul Halferty, right in 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 Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. The team won the Seaside Squad Division trophy. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Members of team Salty Dogs, 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 Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Julia’s grandfathers, John Godman and Michael Tierney, both of Niantic, not shown, also worked on the sculpture. The team won the Poseidon Prize, the judges choice honorable mention trophy. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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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 Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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From right to left, Paul Halferty, of Old Lyme, his niece, Aislinn Rocks, and nephew Luke Rocks, of Springfield, Va., of Team Michelangelo, work on the final touches of their hermit crab sculpture during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach Saturday, July 20, 2024 in Niantic. The team won the Seaside Squad Division trophy. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Julia Tierney, 11, right, and her grandfather, Michael Tierney of Niantic look at their finished sand sculpture Check Mate after they and her father, Brendan, third from left, and grandfather, John Godman, second from left, in background created, during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach Saturday, July 20, 2024 in Niantic. The team won the Poseidon Prize, the judges choice honorable mention trophy. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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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 background, right, getting more wet sand, work on his octopus. Declan helped out after finishing his crab sculpture during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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Team Michelangelo, Paul Halferty, right, of Old Lyme, his nephew, Luke Rocks, and niece, Aislinn Rocks, of Springfield, Va., celebrate after their hermit crab sculpture won the Seaside Squad Division trophy during the Celebrate East Lyme Day Sandcastle & Sculpture Competition at Hole in the Wall Beach Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Niantic. Later Niantic’s Main Street was closed for over 200 creative, community & business vendors, live music and ending with fireworks over Niantic Bay. (Dana Jensen/The Day)
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East Lyme ― A sandcastle and sculpture competition was held at the Hole in the Wall Beach on Saturday morning as part of Celebrate East Lyme Day.

There were 3 competition categories, Jellyfish, ages 12 and under; Seaside Squad, team/family of various ages, and Poseidon Prize, the judges’ choice. Only indigenous materials could be used.

Team Michelangelo -- Paul Halferty of Old Lyme, and his nephew Luke Rocks and niece Aislinn Rocks of Springfield, Va., won the Seaside Squad Division with their hermit crab sculpture.

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

Aiden Hastings, 8, of Wright, Tenn. won the Jellyfish division for ages 12 and under.

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

St. John’s Episcopal Church also held its annual Summer Carnival on the green across from the church on Main Street.

The day ended with fireworks over Niantic Bay.

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