OLYMPIA — Sand in the City got off to a strong start Friday as beautiful weather helped propel first-day attendance past the 5,000 mark, the executive director of the Hands On Children’s Museum said.
The Sand in the City event, which continues today and Sunday, is the museum’s largest fundraiser of the year.
Executive Director Patty Belmonte said the goal this year is to raise $160,000 to offset the cost of the museum’s free and reduced admission program, as well as the parenting classes and field trips offered by the museum. The museum spends $250,000 annually on those programs, she said.
Money is raised from on-site donations, sponsorships, food vendors and the team fees charged to the groups who participate in the sand castle building, a highlight of Sand in the City. Sand in the City also raises money from tickets it sells to its Friday night gala event, she said.
This also is the last year that Sand in the City will be staged at the Port Plaza, Belmonte said. Next year, it will move to the new home of the children’s museum on East Bay.
“We loved being here, but it’s a lot of work to bring it to the public,” she said about staging Sand in the City at the Port Plaza. Next year, though, Anthony’s Homeport restaurant, the Port of Olympia and the Olympia Farmers Market will be involved with Sand in the City, she said.
Visitors today can expect these events:
• Build a toy sailboat and sail it down a solar-powered water chute.
• Live entertainment all day.
• Cory’s Ark will bring animals, similar to a petting zoo.
• A “touch tank” where children can touch Puget Sound marine life, such as geoducks.
• Rock wall climbing.
The Port of Olympia also will give tours of its working waterfront today, including how logs are loaded onto ships bound for Japan, China and Korea.
Longshoremen, forestry business representatives and the port’s marine terminal staff members also will be on hand to talk about the port. The tours are offered 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Those who would like to take a tour are asked to visit the Port of Olympia booth in the northwest corner of the Port Plaza. Belmonte said the tours take place every hour.
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403 rboone@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/bizblog
Sand in the city
Where: At the Port Plaza, near the Olympia Farmers Market.
Today’s hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday’s hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., one hour later than last year.
