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Travel Channel's 'Sand Masters' Build Market Square Masterpiece

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Imagine what it would be like to do nothing but play in the sand all day -- every day.

Two guys made that a reality in Market Square Thursday.

"We sort of have a beach party today with some beach music, some sand. Yeah, the vendors are really excited. They are really happy to have them here," Leigh White of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership said.

The guys from Travel Channel's "Sand Masters" are in town to make a giant sand sculpture.

So, why did Visit Erie bring the masters of sand to Pittsburgh?

"Because Erie is all about beaches, and we know that Pittsburghers are well aware of Erie and the beaches and we just wanted to remind them that summer is arriving," Visit Erie President & CEO John Oliver said.

Visit Erie wants Pittsburgh to know all they have to offer.

"We are just a two-hour drive away. You know we have Presque Isle State Park, seven miles of sandy beach, plus all kinds of other activities, splash parks, amusement parks, wineries," Oliver said.

Today's gigantic sand sculpture was made by Rusty Croft, who said you provide the sand and they'll do the rest.

"We just use what we've got. This is just regular old mason sand that they brought. Dropped in a truck add lots of water, stack it up and next thing you know, you can build something beautiful," Croft said.

It takes hours for the sculpture to be built, but KDKA-TV's Rick Dayton did coax him into giving up his trade secret.

"That's the real key to a good sand sculpture -- a little bit of patience, some really simple tools, some trowels, a straw to blow the crumbs out and lots and lots of water," he said.

After a couple of hours of smoothing, spraying, carving out letters and re-wetting the sand pile, they molded a masterpiece in the middle of Market Square.

""Everyone has a great memory of working together as a family to make a great sand castle. It's iconic. Never underestimate the power of a good sand castle," Croft said.

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