Kids & Family
Highlights of the New Jersey Sandcastle Contest [PHOTOS]
Twenty trophies in eight judging categories were awarded during the New Jersey Sandcastle Contest in Belmar on July 18, 2018.
Twenty trophies in eight judging categories were awarded on 18th Avenue beach in Belmar during the New Jersey Sandcastle Contest on July 18, 2018. For the second straight year, the Bikini Boys from Seaside Heights, New Jersey, took home the top award – Best on Beach – for their Flintstones-themed creation, “Yaba Daba Do.”
Theresa Tarabocchio of Belmar won first place in the 16 & over category for her creation “Cinderella’s Carriage.” She has been participating in the contest since she was a little girl.
“The sandcastle contest is one of my favorite things to do every year,” she said. “My family used to do it growing up. Some years, my cousin still comes to do it with me if she can get off work.”
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Over the years, Tarabocchio has won first, second, and third places in the various age groups, including Best on Beach several years ago for “Tiny Tembo Tours,” an African watering hole with several animals gathered around. Her prize-winning entry this year was inspired by her 3-year-old.
“When I was trying to think of something to build,” she explained, “I knew it was going to be something that would be exciting to kids. I happened to be reading him a Cinderella fairy tale one night and said, ‘Wow, I definitely need to make this carriage.’ I was sold on the idea by being able to look through the carriage.”
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Tarabocchio adds that despite some tough competition in her category this year, she says it “a real honor to come in first. Honestly, this year I didn’t think I would win because it was my first time solo building, but it felt amazing to win.”
According to the VisitBelmarNJ Facebook page, the 2018 winners were:
Category: Overall Winner
The Bikini Boys - Yaba Daba Do
Category: Best Traditional Castle
Milania Perry - Mermaid Special
Category: 7 & Under
1st: Gianni - Mount St. Belmar
2nd: Luam McNulty - The Bat Castle
3rd: Kia Raicer - Dinosaurs
Category: 8-11 years old
1st: Bryan Rimer - Lazy Day Volcano
2nd: Sisters Forever (Corde) - Cute Kitty
3rd: Kaiser & Conner - S.S. Belmar
Category: 12-15 years old
1st: Bobby & Emily - The Ship
2nd: Anthony Barisciano - Fire Dept. Living Room
3rd: Ocean Elite - Punch Buggy No Push Back
Category: 16 & Over
1st: Theresa Tarabocchia - Cinderella’s Carriage
2nd: Brendon Schaffer - Great Sand Dragon
3rd: James Parisi - Harrison the Hippo
Category: Family
1st: Holiday - Peanut the Elephant
2nd: Andorra Tola- Jurassic Beach
3rd: Andrew - Pipe Dreams
Category: Camps and Recreation
1st: The Brookside School - Unicorn from Despicable Me
2nd: The Brookside School - Butterfly
3rd: Marlboro Rec - The Turtle Team
Photos by Patch Mayor Christine Cardellino.
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