SIESTA KEY, FL

Eat. Play. Stay.

Shephards is the place to go for great food & entertainment! Enjoy a delicious hot breakfast overlooking the beach at Ocean Flame. For lunch & dinner, our Tiki Beach Grill offers a variety of appetizers, burgers and salads! The Tiki Beach Bar and the Wave Nightclub feature live local bands and the best entertainment on the beach. So whether you like to dance the night away or relax with a tropical drink, it’s all at Shephards!

www.SHEPHARDS.com • 727.442.5107 • 619 So. Gulfview Blvd. • Clearwater Beach

Eat. Play. Stay.

Shephards is the place to go for great food & entertainment! Enjoy a delicious hot breakfast overlooking the beach at Ocean Flame. For lunch & dinner, our Tiki Beach Grill offers a variety of appetizers, burgers and salads! The Tiki Beach Bar and the Wave Nightclub feature live local bands and the best entertainment on the beach. So whether you like to dance the night away or relax with a tropical drink, it’s all at Shephards!

See stunning works of art made entirely out of sand at The Siesta Key Crystal Classic

By Heather Turk

SUN, surf and

Karen Jean Fralich’s solo sculpture “Magic” won second place in 2019

lots of sand The Siesta Key Crystal Classic returns for its 11th year

Known for its pristine white sand, Siesta Beach will once again invite master sculptors from around the world to turn the popular Southwest Florida vacation spot into a stunning outdoor art gallery when The Siesta Key Crystal Classic returns Nov. 12-15.

Having attracted more than 300,000 guests since its inception in 2010, the international sand sculpting festival features 24 master sculptors creating their latest masterpieces — some over 10 feet tall! Participants have just 24 hours from Friday until Sunday to sculpt their pieces, which can look like they were carved out of marble due to the beauty and cleanliness of the sand.

In addition to creating a large community-sponsored sculpture that’ll be the centerpiece of the festival, the master sculptors will build eight solo sculptures and eight team sculptures in hopes of winning some prize money. A panel of judges will then announce the winners on Sunday after-

By Heather Turk

noon. Festival attendees can vote for their favorite sculpture, too, by casting their vote for the People’s Choice Award, which will be announced online on Tuesday.

While the master sand sculpting competition may be The Siesta Key Crystal Classic’s biggest draw, the event also features live music, more than 70 retail vendors, six food trailers and a Barefoot Beach Bar pop-up party tent that has food, music and a full bar. Additionally, guests can take complimentary sand sculpting lessons with the master sculptors, watch them compete in a Quick Sand speed competition and register to show off their own sand sculpting skills at the Amateur Competition.

The Siesta Key Crystal Classic takes place each day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Saturday, so that guests can see the sculptures under colored lights at night. Both daily admission tickets and four-day value passes are available. siestakeycrystalclassic.com