Make the most of Rollback Weekend in Birch Bay

Birch Bay is preparing for its 40th annual Sand Sculpture Competition on Saturday, July 29, with the ninth annual Rollback Weekend Car Show the following day. An early alarm clock and pre-registration are advised to make the most of this weekend packed with annual events. 

Sand Sculpture creators can begin making their way to the Birch Bay Vogt Library Express, 7948 Birch Bay Drive, at 7 a.m. for day-of registration and to ready their 20-foot-by20-foot sand canvases. The first 50 sculptures will receive sand pails with gifts and refreshments from the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, said event coordinator Sacha Sanguinetti.

Friends of Birch Bay Library will be fundraising with coffee and muffins available at the future library site for those arriving in the morning. 

As the sculptors work on their creations, spectators can browse the vendors and food trucks set up outside the library on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors will return Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Remember to head back to the sand before the tide comes in around 1 p.m. when the judging begins. Results will be announced from the library site at 3 p.m.

While the judges decide which sculpture is the winner, teams on golf carts and bicycles will participate in the fourth annual family-friendly poker run, beginning at 2 p.m. Teams will depart from the library and travel the 2.4-mile route to six checkmarks where they will pick up a playing card. The three teams to return with the best poker hand will win prizes.

Sanguinetti said the event was so popular when it started during the pandemic, it now has a yearly spot among the other community favorites. 

“Events move to the next level each year,” he said.

Sunday welcomes more community events for the Rollback Weekend Celebration. 

Once again, showing up early pays off as Friends of Birch Bay Library will serve a pancake breakfast at the library site starting at 6 a.m.

Those hoping to enter the car show must register by 8 a.m. Cars will be displayed until judging wraps up at 1 p.m.

Another opportunity for community members to compete, in this case for cash prizes, is the Upper Left Cornhole tournament held from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Wait for the next round of cornhole, or sit in the shade at the beer garden from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., sponsored by Westside Pizza, Dream Management, Beach Cat Brewing Company and Bellingham Cider Company. The Shannanagins will perform live music from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pandemic and subsequent recovery have brought an influx of year-round residents calling Birch Bay home, Sanguinetti said, adding that many of these newcomers are celebrating the nostalgic draw of Rollback Weekend and other community events.

For a $5 donation to the Friends of the Birch Bay Library, visitors can park behind CJ’s Beach House Restaurant, The Beach Bar and Beach Cat Brewing Company for Saturday and Sunday.

Registration for the weekend events, including the sculpture competition, car show, cornhole tournament and poker run, are available on the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce website.

For information on how to volunteer for a two-hour time slot (or longer), call the chamber at 360/371-5004.