Submitted Photo World Champion Sand Sculptor Dan Belcher will be at the 11th Annual Beach Bash this weekend.

This weekend, Dunkirk will be hosting its 11th Annual Beach Bash in conjunction with the Great Lakes Offshore Grand Prix racing event. The three-day, over-arching event, will feature live bands and defending World Champion Sand Sculptor Dan Belcher, as he builds three different designs along various beaches in the city.

The event will kick off Friday with Red Rhythm and Eminence Front for Music on the Pier starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday will welcome The FREEZE and The Rising and Sunday will see Counterfeit and Passion Works. Though they are listed as Music on the Pier events, the bands will actually be taking the stage in Memorial Park.

As live music entertains the masses, Belcher, who also did the sculptures last year, will be arriving Thursday and will be sculpting at Wright Park Beach, Main Street Beach and Cedar Beach by the lighthouse throughout the weekend; each sculpture takes him eight to 10 hours roughly to complete.

Fieldbrook Foods will be on hand giving away ice cream and 97 Rock will be streaming live from their tour bus on the pier Friday and Saturday, with a possibility of Sunday also. The Beach Bash is sponsored by Fieldbrook Foods and Community Bank.

Hector Rosas, city of Dunkirk Festivals and Special Events coordinator, would like to thank Schultz Resale Center for lending Belcher a rental car and the Clarion Hotel for his room to stay.

Mayor Willie Rosas would like to thank Hector Rosas for all his work with getting all these events together this weekend as well as the various sponsors of them. Wednesday he toured the downtown area with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi and had received loads of positive comments about the banners on the light poles and the pier.

“It’s important to have all these groups involved,” Rosas stated. “There’s a lot of excitement around the area. I’ve been hearing a lot of good things from people.”

Rosas has extended invitations to Mayor Teresi and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, as of Wednesday he has not yet heard back from Brown’s office, but he’s sure even if he can’t attend the festivities this weekend, he’ll be represented.

The city of Dunkirk Festivals and Events Office would also like to let the public know that the Picnic on the Point will be taking place on Sept. 8 from 1-7 p.m. The event is sponsored by United Way and Drescher and Malecki and will feature bounce houses and games for kids. The public is invited to attend.