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The contest | Yearly theme | Our team | History | Collaborators
The contest
37th edition from august 11th to 13th
The Corporation des Châteaux de sable des Îles’ mission is to create a unique and magical moment for all to enjoy, in the spirit of festivities, so that sand castle building becomes an incredible memory for all of its participants and spectators.
The sandcastle building contest is now at its 37th iteration. This festival aims to invite both local and visiting families to come and enjoy a great day at the Havre-Aubert’s beach. The participants are invited to form teams and build sand castles or sculptures of a minimal height of 1 meter, using only sand and water. In 2011, more and more activities got added to the festivities (tale telling, musical performances, etc.). This contest is the perfect occasion to all unite and enjoy a friendly competition, all while promoting our magnificent piece of land.
Become a member!
37th edition from august 11th to 13th
The Corporation des Châteaux de Sable des Îles invites you to become a member for our 37th edition, that will take place virtually from august 11th to august 13th 2023, on our official Facebook page.
Why become a member?
Your contribution is more than ever essential to our operations. Our non-profit organization needs a healthy amount of partners to ensure its viability.
What you could be winning
To make sure you are properly thanked for your contribution, a number of interesting prizes are going to be drawn among everyone who will have taken their membership before the 30th of july 2023. The draw will take place on Sunday the 13th of august.
Here is what you could win :
- One advertising campaign at CFIM
- 1/2 page in Le Radar
- 100$ gift certificate at papeterie JSM
- 100$ gift certificate at brûlerie de café des Îles
- 100$ gift certificate at coeur d'herboriste
For a total value of : 1 500 $
Moreover, your business will be credited on our board set up at the beach's entrance and our social medias.
How to become a member?
Using Interac via coordination@chateauxdesable.com
Question: Château
Answer: Sable
37th edition's theme
Our team
Coordinator
Coordinator
The board
Marie-Chantal Gaudet
Luc d'Anjou
Nathalie Arseneau
Jean-François Drolet
Alexandre Bessette
Karina Chevarie
History
It was in 1987. Nicole Grégoire, Albert Cummings and Claude Bourque were dreaming of a popular festivity… familiarly-oriented, and free. At the time, they couldn’t imagine that by creating the Magdalen Islands’ sandcastle building contest, they were going to witness the birth of such a remarkable tradition. Now the contest is still going strong, 36 editions later, and the sand at the Bout du Banc beach has seen a great deal of people.
The 15th of august of 1987. That was the date of the very first edition of the contest. The event gathered more than 1000 visitors that year. And two years later, it was already 10 times more popular! The contest has been growing each year since and by 1993, it was already a major tourist attraction for the Islands. It was in 1993 that the original organizers passed down the torch and converted the contest into an actual corporation.
And here we are, 36 years later, and this event still represents the peak of tourism in the summer time. With over 15 000 visitors and 500 builders, the Concours des Châteaux de Sable des Îles de la Madeleine is now the biggest amateur contest of sandcastle building in the world!
Blond sand, salty waters, small and big hands alike and a whole lot of smiles… these are the ingredients for happiness on the Magdalen Islands!
Collaborators
The Emperor
The Monarch
The Prince
The Duke
The Marquis
The Count
The Lord
Others
