Siesta Key is known for its beautiful white sand, and this past weekend thousands of people made their way to the beach to see massive sculptures erected entirely out of that sand. For the eighth year in a row, Siesta Key welcomed 12 teams from nations around the world, including South Korea, Canada, Italy, the Czech Republic, Singapore, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Portugal; and U.S. states including California, Florida, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas for their Crystal Classic international Sand Sculpting Festival. 

“Once again, the sand sculptors truly wowed us with their creativity and detailed craftsmanship, and the amazing turnout has shown us that people love this event and love Siesta Beach. Being able to light the sculptures at night brought the festival to another level,” Maria Bankemper, event chair, said in a release. 

“Every year the festival just gets bigger and better. Staying open in the evenings and lighting the sculptures was a huge success and one that we expect to bring back next year,” added Brian Wigelsworth, master sculptor and sand coordinator.

Crystal Classic sculptures are still on view through the end of the day today, so if you missed your chance this weekend, you can still catch a glimpse. For more info, and to stay in the loop about next year's competition, visit siestakeycrystalclassic.com.