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They say there are more grains of sand on Earth than there are stars in the sky. Besides, stars are great to gaze at, but you can't really do much with them. Sand, on the other hand, can be made into art! The 19th Annual Sand Sculpture Festival takes to the beach on Saturday, June 21 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Manila Dunes Recreation Area (free to watch, $10-15 to register).

Sand castles are great, but why limit yourself to something so traditional? This is a sand sculpture after all; it's time to get creative. Put together your own team (at least two participants), grab a few supplies (pastry knife, paint brush, some sort of digging implement, etc.) and ignite that creative spark! You can build pretty much anything you want, but keep it clean — there will be kids roaming around. The categories for prizes include Best of Show, Most Imaginative, Best Youth Sculpture, the Golden Shovel Award and many more.

This event is pretty damn popular, so parking can be an issue. Never fear, Friends of the Dunes is providing a free shuttle service from Manila Park to the Manila Community Center from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. You'll have to walk in the sand for about half a mile to get to the festival proper, so be prepared to carry any weary toddlers. Friends of the Dunes recommends that spectators show up between noon and 2 p.m. for the best view of the sculptures. Here's sand in yer eye!