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Already on Saturday, June 19, the largest sand sculpture park in the Baltics will open its doors to visitors on Pasta Island – Latvian achievements in the world will be shown in 12 works. Some of the sculptures are already ready, including the tallest sculpture, which exceeds seven meters and depicts basketball player Kristaps Porziņģis, but other works are still being created. The artists admit: the weather is great, there is enough sand, all you have to do is work, so that on Saturday, visitors can appreciate what has happened in three weeks. The artists do not hide that they are surprised by certain achievements of Latvians in the world, and admit that spectators will not lack new discoveries either.

Artists have been working since June 2. Agnese Rudzite-Kirillova is building three sculptures in the sand sculpture park this year. “On Sunday I finished working on the sculpture of Latvian crocodile hunter or prototype of Crocodile Dandy Arvīds Blumentals, but this week a “Porsche” model created by Latvian Anatols Lapiņš is being made. Really interesting, everyone knows “Porshe”, but rarely who knows that Anatoly has been the company’s main designer for 20 years and under his leadership famous car models, such as “Porsche 911″ have been made”, says the artist.

From next week, visitors to the sand park will also have the opportunity to see with their own eyes how the sand sculptures are made – Agnese and the artist Sanita Rāviņa will create more new sculptures. “It will be the very first sculpture at the entrance – a Minox spy camera created by Valters Capa,” reveals Agnese.

“I call this my sand therapy with the opportunity to meditate,” says artist Zīle Ozoliņa-Šneidere about the process of building sand sculptures. Last week, she completed a sculpture of Jānis Akermanis, a Latvian aviator and aircraft designer who has also proven himself in the United States. Currently she is continuing to work on the famous Pētersons tobacco pipe, patented by Latvian Kārlis Pētersons. “A guy from Tukums invented a great pipe that is recognized almost all over the world. I know that in central London there is even a shop selling these pipes in his name, and it is an expensive product. This time I took a familiar image that most people associate with pipes, “Sherlock Holmes. He will be smoking Peterson ‘s pipe,” says Zile. She welcomes the fact that next week visitors to the sand park will also be given the opportunity to see the artists in action – to understand the process of building sand sculptures. “One is to look at a finished sculpture and have fun, but quite another – to see and feel the artist in action. It’s a different energy. People see that it’s not easy at all,” said Zīle.

Also this year, the author and manager of the park’s artistic concept is the titled sculptor Kārlis Īle, who together with six artists from Latvia creates an amazing world of sand art in Jelgava.

The sand sculpture park on Pasta Island will be open from June 19 all summer long. Park opening hours in June – every day from 10 am to 10 pm, on public holidays (June 23 and 24) from 10 am to 8 pm. Entrance fee for pupils, students, pensioners and the disabled – 1 euro, adults – 2 euros. Admission is free for children under 7 years of age.

Important to know:

• Tickets can be purchased at the entrance to the sculpture park.
• Parking lot for park visitors – Pilssalas Street 1.
• Pets are not allowed in the territory of the Pasta Island.
• Face mask should be worn when visiting public places.
• Hands should be disinfected regularly.
• A safe distance of 2 meters must be observed.
• You should not visit public places if you have any signs of an infectious disease or if you do not feel well.