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Sunfest provides fun in the sun at MetroParks
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Ariana Corfios, 7, of Austintown sprays sand off her legs during the sculpture competition.
By EMMALEE C. TORISK
YOUNGSTOWN
For the past few years, a 1-ton pile of sand has inspired a fair bit of sisterly competition between 23-year-old Paisley Cameron and 17-year-old Serena Jade Kennedy.
On Sunday, the sisters, both of Austintown, once again competed in the sand-sculpture contest during the 18th annual Mill Creek MetroParks Sunfest — and, as usual, Cameron and Kennedy found themselves on the list of winners, taking first and second place, respectively, in the adult division.
“It’s a fun family thing to come to, and a way to show our artistic side,” Cameron said. “It’s fun to sculpt and see what you can come up with.”
This year, Cameron took the top award in her division with “Peanut,” a sculpture of an elephant that incorporated real peanuts, while Kennedy earned the next-highest honor for “Lost My Mind,” which depicted a figure on his hands and knees and with his head literally buried in the sand.
Overall, the sisters said they were satisfied with the outcome of the contest, as was their mother, Lisa Kennedy, whose idea it was to come to Sunfest one year “just to watch” the competition.
“I thought it was really cool,” she said, adding that this year she acted as a “gofer” for her daughters while they sculpted. “It’s a tradition now, and I hope that it continues here.”
About 20 piles of sand were sculpted Sunday at the Wick Recreation Area by an estimated 80 people — many of whom worked together in groups, said Carol Vigorito, the park’s recreation and education manager.
After the contest, the sand will be used in a number of ways: in the new volleyball courts, as sand traps or for various maintenance work, she said.
Vigorito added that the entry fee for the sand-sculpture contest was $8, and participants had three hours to complete their sculptures. They were judged by several of the park’s regular volunteers, and prizes, which ranged from cash to Mahoning Valley Scrappers tickets, were then awarded.
Despite not winning a prize this year, Roseann G. Toth of Youngstown said she already got what she was hoping for: to have fun. She spent nearly three hours sculpting a horse, which was modeled after one she’d once owned, and afterward said she was both “pooped out” and “very happy with it.”
“I’m thankful that Mill Creek MetroParks brings the community out for wonderful events each year,” Toth said. “They do a great job.”
Vigorito said both participation and attendance at Sunfest were down slightly this year, perhaps because of the unseasonable weather, but that the day’s mostly free activities — which included Zumba dance sessions, a hike on the park’s nearby trails, and children’s crafts — were still well-attended.
So was a live performance by the House Band at Judge Morley Pavilion later in the evening, she added.
“Sunfest is a celebration of summer,” Vigorito said. “It was a really fun day for everybody.”
Celeste Hyland, who lives just “right around the corner” from the park, said the House Band, which specializes in rock ’n’ roll cover songs, is a staple of the Youngstown music scene, and one she’s seen perform before. Hyland said she comes to most park events, but that the free show was definitely a “huge draw.”
“We appreciate this facility,” she said. “The park is awesome.”