‘B’ Street Pier
1140 North Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101

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Leonardo Ugolini

Leonardo Ugolini

Sculpting Since: 1997
Location: Italy

Born in Forli, Italy, in 1969, Leonardo was raised and educated there. Ever since childhood he has been fascinated by nature and space. Japanese cartoons showed him distant worlds of spaceships and aliens. The first book he bought was Volcanos. He spent his childhood drawing, modelling plasticine, playing with Lego and in summer making sand castles at the seaside. He attended the University of Florence.

He’s a multi-talented guy. He’s written children’s books; his first entitled I Create with Sand, published in 1997. And just 3 years ago, he published another book for the world-famous Tottori Museum in Japan. And he designed and built his own home following the dictates of bio-architecture and energy efficiency.

Architecture influences his sand sculpture as well. He specializes in building large scenic backgrounds and he’s passionate about perspective effects, reliefs and details. He’s participated in many competitions and events around the world.

Notable Achievements:

  • 2017 – Grand prize, Canadian Open, Parksville Beach, B.C.
  • 2016 – 2nd place, International Sand Sculpting Festival, Revere Beach, MA
  • 1999 – Champion nativity scene depicted on postal stamp by Italian Post Office
  • 1998 – Grand prize, World Championship of Sand Sculpture, Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada

Facebook: Leonardo Ugolini

USSSC + DAE is cancelled.

It was our great honor to have produced this iconic event for 8 years.  USA Today had named it to the ‘Top 10 in the Nation’ and American Express called it ‘one of the top 20 seaside festivals in the world’.

Hundreds of millions of media impressions were registered worldwide and over 40,000 attended the festivities each year on the downtown San Diego embarcadero. 

We thank the Master Sand Artists from Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas who created magnificent sculptures from nothing more than sand and water, as well as the artists who work in other media, the entertainers, food providers, sponsors, media, staff, suppliers, volunteers and the Port of San Diego who made the event possible.

Should a title sponsor or new production company wish to bring it back to benefit local non-profits and the Southern California community at large, we will endeavor to help advise as long as we are able. 

For now, enjoy the website from years past.*

Thank you once more.

Joyce and Gordon Summer, Executive Producers

on behalf of Bruce, Tricia, Steve and the entire USSSC team.

This Website sculpted one grain at a time by Web Services Management.