PENSACOLA, FL-In collaboration with award-winning sand sculpture company Beach Sand Sculptures, VISIT FLORIDA has commissioned an indoor sand sculpture to be built March 23 and 24, at the I-10 Welcome Center in Pensacola, Florida.
To help promote the Sunshine State to the more than 650,000 visitors who pass through the I-10 Welcome Center annually, the massive sculpture will depict Florida-centric icons such as dolphins, turtles, waves, and a beach ball alongside the official Florida hashtag, #LoveFL. The sand sculpture will be built in two stages and take more than 20 hours to complete. Following completion, the six-foot-tall, multi-ton sculpture will be sealed with a weather guard to protect the sculpture and keep it intact for Welcome Center visitors to enjoy for more than a year.
David Dodd, Vice President of Visitor Services at VISIT FLORIDA, said, “Since 1949, as some the first points of contact for travelers entering the state, the Official Florida Welcome Centers have created a time-honored tradition of complimentary Fresh from Florida citrus juice, friendly and informative staff and a vast array of brochures highlighting all the excitement our state has to offer. With the creation of this Florida-themed sand sculpture, VISIT FLORIDA hopes to inspire visitors to extend their stay and explore more of the Florida destinations that offer endless opportunities to create lifelong memories.”
Beach Sand Sculptures, based in Santa Rosa Beach, is the world’s largest sandcastle company. For over eight years, under the direction of former residential architect Rick Mungeam, Beach Sand Sculptures has crafted more than 500 professional sculptures throughout the southeastern United States and helped families experience the magic of sandcastles through daily lessons. Beach Sand Sculptures and their work have been featured in newspapers, magazines and television segments including MTVnews, HGTV’s Beach Front Bargain Hunt, and Good Morning 30A.
The sand sculpture creation at the I-10 Welcome Center will be open to the public and media from 1-3 p.m. CDT on Saturday, March 24. Welcome Center staff will be available to answer any travel-related questions, and key lime pie and Fresh from Florida citrus juice will be served. For more information about the Official VISIT FLORIDA Welcome Centers, click HERE. Media interested in attending are asked to contact Sara Sowerby at ssowerby@VISITFLORIDA.org.