Latest news with #sandsculpting
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Influencer Spends Hours a Day Creating Sand Castles on the Beach. Then, She Destroys Them (Exclusive)
Janel Hawkins runs the sand sculpting company, Sand Castle University, where she designs intricate beachside creationsNEED TO KNOW Janel Hawkins is the founder and owner of Sand Castle University, a sand sculpture business based in Gulf Shores, Ala. The team's creations can take anywhere from five hours to three days to build, but they must be destroyed after, as a result of sea turtle protection laws in the area The company's beach creations have gone viral on TikTok, where they now have over 1 million followersWhen Janel Hawkins was a freshman in college, an ad on Craigslist with an unusual listing caught her attention. 'Sand sculpting apprentice, no experience necessary,' the post she wasn't majoring in anything remotely related to art or architecture — in fact, she was studying business and psychology at the time — Hawkins remembered feeling called to check the listing out.'I was broke, as most college kids are, and needed a job,' Hawkins tells PEOPLE. 'I was like, 'This is crazy, like, there's no way.' "She applied anyway and ended up at tryouts for the role. She was picked, and spent the next three years studying under a master sand sculptor, learning the ropes and traveling throughout Florida, where she was in college at the time, building sand sculptures and learning the ins and outs of the started as a side hustle in college for Hawkins to hopefully make a little extra cash has since blossomed into a full-blown business. In 2017, with just a year left before graduating, Hawkins dropped out of college and returned home to Gulf Shores, Ala., to start her own business — cheekily named Sand Castle University. 'When I was three years in, I was going into my last year of school realizing that I wasn't going to do anything with my degree,' Hawkins explains. 'I just knew I didn't want a typical '9 to 5' and I didn't want to work for someone else.'In the early years, she juggled two other jobs while figuring out how to run a business as a 22-year-old.'I was definitely 'faking it until I make it,' " she says. Then, in 2020, while the rest of the world remained locked down as the spread of COVID-19 intensified, Hawkins found her business blowing up.'Alabama was closed for two weeks, and then whenever we opened back up, our sand castle classes were one of the approved activities because they're private classes and they're outdoor,' Hawkins explains. 'So we blew up. It was the busiest I had ever been. I had never, never seen money like that before.' From there, Hawkins quit her other jobs and hired full-time staff for Sand Castle University. Staying true to how she got her start, Hawkins doesn't hire traditionally trained artists for her instructing staff at Sand Castle she prefers to hire 'people people.''Two of our veteran instructors, Katie and Caitlin, were just skipping along the boardwalk, while I was doing a sculpture," she shares. "They were like 'Oh my goodness, we love your sand sculpture.' They had the guts to walk up to someone randomly and just start talking to them. Hawkins adds, "The kind of people that are really outgoing and engaging are the kind of people I'm interested in hiring.' Today, Sand Castle University is based in Gulf Shores and is a completely mobile business that offers a variety of different services to customers, including custom sculptures and consultations for everything from brand marketing activations to proposals to private sand sculpture building lessons. The company has collaborated with major brands like Toyota, Disney and La Roche-Posay. And thanks to social media like TikTok, where @sand_castle_university has 1.1 million followers, the business has recently been transformed in more unexpected ways. As of 2025, Hawkins says that social media has officially become the business's main source of income, surpassing both classes and commissions. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'People pay us to build sand sculptures, but then the other part of it is that they want a video of us building them,' Hawkins says. To meet the demand, she taught herself how to shoot and edit content, keeping all of their content creation in-house. Recently, Hawkins began experimenting with different kinds of videos to see what draws attention. Unsurprisingly, the ones that go viral most often are the ones that begin with her destroying her own work. 'It's kind of a grab,' she says. The smashing isn't just for show. Between May 1 and October 31, it's sea turtle nesting season on the Alabama Gulf Coast. 'By law, we have to dismantle our sculptures at the end of the day unless they're part of a permitted, roped-off event,' Hawkins explains. 'It's cathartic. It's happened a few times where I've seen a family walking up and I'll wait a few minutes so they can get their photos. Sometimes people don't realize it's my sculpture; I have to be like, 'Read my shirt. I'm actually supposed to do this.' " Despite the obvious effort that goes into the creations on TikTok (anywhere from five to eight hours to three days, she says), over time Hawkins has come to appreciate the impermanence of it all.'Social media has helped spread the awareness that art doesn't have to be forever. Obviously, we have a very temporary art form, right? We have the attitude that just because it doesn't last forever doesn't mean it wasn't worth doing. And I think that that's just really kind of poetic,' she is still permanent about her job, however? The sand that never quite seems to disappear from her car no matter how often she cleans it out. But, despite the transitory nature of her medium, Hawkins takes her craft seriously. She's developed her own style by drawing inspiration from architecture. After her home was hit by a hurricane in 2020, she became obsessed with design and began sculpting houses instead of traditional castles. 'Someone once told me no one would ever pay me to make houses out of sand,' she says. 'Then La Roche-Posay came to us and they said, 'Hey can you make this version of our French spa out of sand?' That was a moment for me of being like, 'Oh, people will pay.' "She's also known for her unconventional toolkit. 'None of my tools are meant for sand sculpting,' Hawkins reveals. Among the items she uses are masonry tools, construction tools, potters tools and even things like synthetic feather dusters (pro tip: for sand castle building, synthetic feather dusters are better than natural because they don't suck up as much water). Now that Hawkins has a team of sculptures and instructors to rely on, she has time to focus on what's next. She's dreaming of more ambitious, long-term projects—like sculpting every house on Gulf Shores' West Beach to line up into a sand replica neighborhood. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! 'It would take forever,' she says. 'I also want to make a full living room set — couch, coffee table, the works — entirely out of sand.' As for the future of Sand Castle University, she's already planning the next phases: a master class for returning students. 'A lot of people come and take our classes every year, and I want to give them something new," she shares. "Not only is that challenging for them but a cool challenge for me to be able to create that class.' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival returns to Manitowoc's Red Arrow Park. Admission is free this year.
MANITOWOC – The third annual Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival is set for July 19-20 at Red Arrow Park and Beach in Manitowoc. The two-day event features a semi-pro sand sculpting competition, an amateur competition, vendor booths, live performances, food trucks and more. Visit Manitowoc said in a news release that the Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival has attracted thousands of visitors to Manitowoc in past years. Six semi-pro sand sculptors will begin creating their masterpieces before the festival opens July 19 and will continue working on them until judging July 20. People can cast their vote for their favorite sculpture and the one who receives the most votes will win the People's Choice Award. Read more: Manitowoc launches Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area. Where is it & how does it work? The 2025 Amateur Sand Sculpting State Championship will kick off when the festival opens at 10 a.m. July 19. The competition is open to both individuals and team. According to the news release, registration is still open, but limited sand plots remain. Read more: Grizzly's Food and Spirits closing Manitowoc location, will resume business in Two Rivers For the first time since the first festival in 2023, the event is free to the public. The news release said sponsors have offset the costs of putting on the event to the extent that an admission cost is no longer necessary. Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary, an event organizing partner, will be accepting donations to fund their charities. For a full event schedule and more details, including a sign up for the amateur competition, go to Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@ This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival in Manitowoc: Free admission in 2025
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Check out the Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival & these 4 other Manitowoc events this week
MANITOWOC – Here's your look at can't-miss events in the Manitowoc area this week. For more events and live music schedules, go to Read more: Rock and roll extravaganza: Two Rivers Community Band concert July 17 will 'rock your socks off' Watch as sand masterpieces come to life at the Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival, happening July 19-20 at Red Arrow Park and Beach (1931 S. Ninth St.). From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 19 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 20, enjoy live sculpting by six semi-pro artists, an amateur competition, live music, bingo, food trucks and vendors. The amateur contest runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 19 with awards at 4 p.m. The semi-pro winners will be announced at 4:30 p.m. July 20 under the entertainment tent. Take your beach gear and enjoy an unforgettable weekend of sun, sand and sculpture. For full event details, visit the event page at Or read more here: Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival returns to Manitowoc's Red Arrow Park. Admission is free this year. Join Indiana Jones for an epic lakeside adventure at Outdoor Movie Night July 17 at Lighthouse Park (425 Maritime Drive). This free showing of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' starts at 8:30 p.m., offering sweeping views of Lake Michigan and plenty of action. Take a chair or blanket, and enjoy snacks from Happy Snax or a refreshing summer craft brew from Craft Creek Brewing Co. This rescheduled showing is hosted by Visit Manitowoc and sponsored by TDS Telecom. Learn more at Take in the scenic Manitowoc shoreline aboard the iconic S.S. Badger during a two-hour Shoreline Cruise July 19, beginning at the Badger dock, 900 S. Lakeview Drive. From 2 to 4 p.m., enjoy live entertainment, delicious food and lake breezes, all included with your ticket. You'll also have access to the ship's movie theater, museum, gift shop, and indoor/outdoor lounges, with bar service available. Tickets are $60 per person, and children 4 and younger sail free. Visit for more details and to purchase tickets. Read more: SS Badger Lake Michigan car ferry to launch shoreline cruises, overnight crossings & mini cruises Step inside a piece of maritime history during a guided tour of the Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse July 19 with tours departing at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. from Lighthouse Park (425 Maritime Drive). Led by the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in partnership with the Manitowoc Sunrise Rotary Club, this rare opportunity includes a walk through the beautifully restored structure with insight into its century-long history. Advanced tickets are required and can be purchased at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum or online. For tour availability, pricing and additional dates, go to Grab a friend and a drink, then take in live music around Manitowoc. Friday, July 18 Biff Hansen and The Works at PetSkull Brewing Company (1015 Buffalo St.) — 6 p.m. Nashville's Noah Garner and Katrina Austin Band at The Wharf (606 Quay St.) — 6:30 p.m. Black Knight at Salute to Everyone (1107 S. 10th St.)— 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19 Green Day Tribute Night at PetSkull Brewing Company — 4 p.m. Bella Rain at Salute to Everyone — 5 p.m. Prodigal Sons at Salute to Everyone — 8 p.m. Sunday, July 20 Chicago Funk at PetSkull Brewing Company — 2 p.m. The Dweebs at The Wharf — 2 p.m. LaForce at Salute to Everyone — 3 p.m. Visit Manitowoc is the city of Manitowoc's Department of Tourism. This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Wisconsin Sand Sculpting Festival, SS Badger cruise top Manitowoc fun
