The pinnacle of summer in Birch Bay returns for yet another jam-packed weekend with the sand sculpture competition on Saturday, July 26 and Rollback Weekend on Sunday, July 27.
“This is probably our biggest festival, and it always excites me seeing that many people in the bay,” said Sacha Sanguinetti, event coordinator of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a throwback to the golden age of Birch Bay.”
The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce will host the 42nd annual Birch Bay Sand Sculpture Competition from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26 along the shoreline in front of Birch Bay Beach Park, 7930 Birch Bay Drive.
This year’s competition will have categories for children; singles, duos and trios; small groups and large groups. The judging time will be around 2-3 p.m., depending on the tide, Sanguinetti said.
At Birch Bay Beach Park, the day will be full of family-friendly activities, including crafts and lawn games, organized by Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 and Friends of Birch Bay Library (FOBBL) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library supporters will host a story time at 10 a.m., a bubble show will be held 9-11 a.m. and Whiplash Rodeo will perform live music from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Classic cars will roll into the community for the 11th annual Rollback Weekend Car Show from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 at Birch Bay Beach Park. The registration table at Birch Bay Beach Park will open at 6 a.m. for car enthusiasts to join the eclectic mix of over 100 vehicles, from muscle cars to Ford Model Ts.
Library supporters will host a breakfast 7-9 a.m. at the park, serving pancakes, sausage, hash browns, coffee and juice. The car show will also have live music from North Sound Soul from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with food vendors and family activities throughout the day.
A beer garden will be stationed at the park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Food vendors will also be serving up hot dogs, pizza, shaved ice and other festival fare.
To kick off the festival, the chamber will host a family-friendly poker run at 5 p.m. at Birch Bay Carts and Rentals, 7608 Birch Bay Drive.
While day-of registration will be available at the park for both events, Sanguinetti said the chamber encourages people to preregister.
Car show registration costs $23 and is available at bit.ly/3IGZ2ri. Registration is limited to the first 150 vehicles, with pre-registration ending at 3 p.m. Friday, July 25. On-site registration will also be available for an additional $25 if there are still spaces.
Registration for the sand sculpture competition is available at bit.ly/3GvFTbp. The first 60 sand sculpture teams to sign up will receive a gift.
