Virginia Beach, VA (May 26th, 2017) – The Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau has commissioned international award-winning sand sculptors Dan and Meredith Corson-Doubleday to bring to life the monumental beach and city experience that awaits visitors when combining a holiday to Virginia Beach and Washington, D.C.  The artists will begin the creation using 15 tons of sand. The progressive sand sculpture will be located in Hall A of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center beginning Sunday, June 4, and complete it by noon on Wednesday, June 7.  

Florida residents Dan Doubleday and Meredith Corson-Doubleday, owners of Sanding Ovations, will shape and sculpt the 15 tons of sand to recreate some of the destinations' most iconic landmarks including King Neptune, the United States Capitol and the Washington Monument.  “As the current champions of the 2016 Virginia Beach Neptune Festival International Sand Sculpting Championship, we are honored and excited to be representing Virginia Beach and share our enthusiasm for the sand and the beach with thousands of attendees from all over the world,” said Dan and Meredith Doubleday.

 This elaborate piece of art will personify the perfect combination of the quintessential American experience that a traveler can discover when combining beautiful beaches, soft adventure, culinary, cultural, and city life experiences. Virginia Beach is located only 336 km from Washington, D.C., where a wide array of activities await travelers from around the world. 

Dan Doubleday was discovered sculpting on a beach in Santa Cruz, CA. His technique was so advanced that he was invited to his first master event just months later. He entered his first World Championship in '96 where he won the coveted Sculptors Choice award, being the first North American to ever take that honor. He now holds eight World Champion medals.

Meredith Doubleday is a World Champion Gold Medalist and has the honor of being the first female ever to win a medal at the World Championships. Raised in New Bedford, MA, Meredith relocated to Florida in 1980 and started sculpting sand as a hobby. In 1996, she met Dan Doubleday at a competition. Some of her titles include World Champion Duos, two-time American Duo Champion and two-time North American Champion.

Virginia Beach offers unique coastal city experiences with its three distinctive beaches, its growing culinary scene and farm-to-table experiences, its soft adventure, and evolving city life and artistic community in the ViBe Creative District.  Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, complements perfectly our mid-Atlantic destination with its vibrant and cool atmosphere, monuments and memorials, eclectic neighborhoods, cultural venues and true local flavor.

“The overseas market represents a significant and important piece of our overnight visitation with the majority of our visitors originating from the United Kingdom, Germany, France and China. We have been investing resources in these markets and are excited to showcase Virginia Beach to our international buyers”, said Brad Van Dommelen, Director of the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.  To learn more about your different holiday itineraries, meet the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau's team at Booth # 2711.  Follow the sand sculpting and share photos via #IPW2017

Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.visitvirginiabeach.com)

Where the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay meet, Virginia Beach promises visitors a unique chance to “Live the Life.” Nature at its finest, just-caught and just-picked local food and toes-in-the-sand relaxation combine for a soul-satisfying experience. A world-renowned boardwalk, energetic downtown, state-of-the-art Convention Center, abundant parks and waterways, and mild weather give rise to an active lifestyle and flourishing local culture. The Virginia Beach CVB is responsible for promoting year-round leisure, business, meetings and conventions, international and sports travel to Virginia's most populous city. For media information and images, visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com/pressroom. Follow Virginia Beach on Twitter at twitter.com/VisitVaBch, Instagram at instagram.com/visitvabeach, Facebook at www.facebook.com/VisitVaBeach and Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/visitvabeach.