DES MOINES, Iowa — The first Friday of the Iowa State Fair featured many different activities for fairgoers – including watching artists sculpt sandcastles.
Every year, Brandi and Greg Glenn, owners of Sandscapes, spend the Iowa State Fair sculpting a new sandcastle.
The Glenns are professional sculptors who travel all over the country creating themed sandcastles, however, Brandi says the Iowa State Fair is one of their favorite events to work at and said they've been coming to the fair since the 1990s.
"The people here are amazing. We've made really great friends throughout the years," Brandi said. "We always look forward to coming back because of that and it's the best fair anywhere, it really is, and I do a lot of fairs, let me tell you."
The Glenns have been sculpting since the beginning of the fair and said the sandcastle should be complete sometime next week.
So far, the sculpture features sheep lying together. The full sandcastle is a surprise that will be revealed once it's completed.
Brandi said one of the most commonly asked questions they get from fairgoers is, "What happens if it rains?" The answer: a plastic cover gets put on the sculpture every night to protect it from the weather.
If you want to check out the sculpture, you can find it at the entrance to Thrillville on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Local 5 and CW Iowa 23 are bringing exciting 2023 Iowa State Fair experiences to you, from live newscasts to an interactive Local 5 Weather Lab experience. Come see us in front of the Administration Building (Grand Concourse) each day between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.