Kirk Rademaker and Rusty Croft, better known as The Sand Guys, took those memories to gargantuan proportions and turned playing with sand into a living.
Known for their giant sand sculptures – it’s just not right to call them anything else – The Sand Guys will be one of the featured attractions at the Friends of the Desert Mountains’ Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival, taking place on March 7 at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center in Palm Desert.
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Sand Masters
Beginning Wednesday, March 4 and progressing through to Saturday, March 7, Rademaker and Croft – stars of Travel Channel’s Sand Masters show – and volunteers will sculpt 24 tons (48,000 pounds) of sand supplied by Granite Construction of Indio into one of their fantastical creations.
The world’s tallest sand castle, built by the Sand Guys, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last year for a Caterpillar equipment convention. It was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records and stood 12.59 m (41 feet, 3.67 inches) tall. The sculpture was unveiled by Caterpillar Inc. in Caminho Niemeyer, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, on November 11, 2014.
Just what the final sculpture will look like is anybody’s guess, according to Rademaker. “Sometimes clients have something specific in mind,” Rademaker said recently. “But like child’s play, we usually don’t have a set idea of what we’re going to create until we start working.”
Some of the sand will be carved out for a children’s area, but don’t expect kids to be the only ones playing in it. “There are often more adults playing than kids,” Rademaker added. “It’s that whole thing about going back to being a kid.”
“The Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau is passionate about our outdoor recreational opportunities and the scenic beauty of our surrounding mountains and open spaces. The annual Wildflower Festival is a perfect time to showcase our myriad outdoor offerings,” said Scott White, President & CEO of the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are excited to help bring the internationally known Sand Guys, stars of the reality show ‘Sand Masters,’ and their sand creation to the event this year. It will be an unforgettable experience for the entire family.”
Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival
In addition to the sand art, the Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival offers a slate of activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The schedule includes:
•9:30 a.m. Interpretive hikes, continuing every 15 minutes
•9:15 a.m. Trail runners’ 5K run
•11 a.m. Mountain bike ride to Visitor Center
•10 a.m.-4 p.m. Beer and Wine Garden open, with music by the Shadow Mountain Band throughout the day
•9 a.m.-noon Phillip Ferranti 140 Great Hikes book signing
•9 a.m.-4 p.m. Linda Pyle Peaks Palms and Picnics book signing
•9 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids Zone
Guests are asked to park at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church at 47535 Highway 74. Shuttles will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to take guests to the Visitor Center.
For more information on the 2015 Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival, call (760) 852-9984 or visit www.DesertMountains.org.
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