Sands of destiny at Grand Beach

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/07/2019 (2360 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FAMOUS SANDCASTLE-BUILDING CONTEST COMING: Want to enter Grand Beach’s annual sandcastle-building contest? This summer, it’s on Aug. 10, with a rain date set for Aug 11.

To enter, all you have to do is drive north on Highway 59 for an hour, get to the beach with your shovels and pails at 9 a.m. and go for it! Participants have until 2 p.m. to create their potentially prize-winning masterpieces, which can be anything your imagination can conjure. In the professional category, first prize is $300, second is $200 and third is $100.

Grand Beach residents estimate the contest has been running close to 50 years. “Nobody from around here can remember when it wasn’t happening,” kiosk vendor/photographer Roger Batchelor says.

It’s a beautiful day on the famous white sands of Lake Winnipeg, once rated as one of the top 10 beaches in the world by Playboy magazine

There are two building categories: professional is usually large castles and sculptures of aquatic animals that often tower above the people who build them; and the second category is amateurs, geared at families, young kids, artistic teens and crazy old beach bums who build for a laugh every year.

Big displays require a lot of water, so hoses and water are provided for the serious category. Still, everybody, even in the amateur category, gets a big pile of wet sand to start, says Pat Petrucka, who has been part of the organizing committee the past six years with Batchelor.

Then, there’s the Macdonald Youth Service folks such as Mindy Barsky and Bailey Pacek. The competition has become a fundraiser for mental health. You will see Viva La Paul T-shirts on sale honouring firefighter Paul La France, who spent a lot of time at Grand Beach, and took his own life as a result of depression. By the end of the day, the bright T-shirts are everywhere and take over the big beach. They usually raise around $2,000 for Macdonald Youth Services, Petrucka says.

 

GIANT LADY GOING UP: Pat Lazo is at it again with a huge new mural going up on the Cockburn Street-side patio of Bar Italia. Look for a beautiful woman’s head in a big black hat against a bright red wall. You can’t miss her.

“She kind of looks like she’s in an old-fashioned Italian advertising poster from the ’50s,” says Lazo, who is covering the whole wall, including images of a man drinking cappuccino, giant green and purple grapes and a coffee-brewing machine.

“It’s challenging to work in this heat,” the outdoor graffiti/mural artist says.

Lazo, who has done more than 20 murals in the city, also works at Osborne Village Ink at 188 Osborne St. as a tattoo artist, but you can often catch him at less busy times at the Bar Italia restaurant patio painting the big new project. You can see his work on Instagram, @patlazoart.

 

ASL TRANSLATED PERFORMANCE: Rainbow Stage is offering an American Sign Language (ASL) translated performance for the deaf during its production of Cinderella on Aug. 25 at 2 p.m. Book early! The many stars include Colleen Furlan as Cinderella; Darren Martens as Topher, the prince; Melanie Whyte as Madame, the nasty stepmother; Laura Olafson as Gabrielle, a nasty stepsister; and Andrea del Campo as Charlotte, the other mean stepsister. Interpreters will be placed in a designated section of the outdoor theatre.

Tickets are $55 each and group rates are available for parties of 14 or more. If no one has requested tickets in the ASL section 48 hours prior to the performance, the interpreters are cancelled.

Email kkocian@rainbowstage.ca or call the box office at 204-989-0888 and be sure to identify your party as members of the deaf community to ensure seating in the interpreters section.

Got tips? Cool things happening in your neighbourhood? Been rubbing shoulders with the stars? Email Maureen’s Tips at mscurf@shaw.ca.