We were delighted to be invited to Lincoln by Lincoln BIG to create a custom sand sculpture and run interactive workshops in the city.
Lincoln is a place close to Claire’s heart as her family is originally from the area. So, when the theme for the sand sculpture was suggested, she knew the character all too well! In fact, she has had a small version sitting by her front door ever since her great uncle gave it to her as a child: The Lincoln Imp.
The Legend of the Lincoln Imp
According to local legend, the devil sent two mischievous imps to Earth to cause trouble. They first stopped in Chesterfield where they twisted the spire of St Mary and All Saints Church before heading over to Lincoln Cathedral.
Once inside, the naughty imps caused absolute mayhem: smashing stained-glass windows, knocking over the Dean, and breaking lights! An angel was dispatched to put a stop to their antics. While one imp hid, the other threw stones and rocks directly at the angel. In response, the angel turned the defiant imp into stone, freezing him in place forever. To this day, you can still see him sitting cross-legged high on a pillar inside the Cathedral.
Bringing the Imp to Life
Jamie recreated the iconic Lincoln Imp using only sand! After setting up our pop-up sand table, he quickly got to work compacting the sand before diving into the fine carving details. It didn’t take long for locals to recognize who was taking shape! The sculpture took around 5 hours to complete, and Jamie loved chatting with curious passersby throughout the process.
Hands-On Sand Workshops
Alongside the main demonstration, we ran pop-up workshops where families could try their hand at sand sculpting. Using simple tools (most of which can be found right at home), Dan and Jonathan taught visitors how to carve everything from dolphins and turtles to faces and imaginative creatures.
Sand is an amazing medium for getting creative, the possibilities are endless! Plus, if you don’t like what you’ve created, you can just knock it down and start fresh!
A Lively Day in Cornhill
We weren’t the only entertainment bringing energy to the Cornhill area that day. Lincoln BIG also hosted street theatre performers, circus skills workshops, and vintage games. We brought along our popular beach-themed cutout photo prop, which turned out to be a huge hit for fun photo ops and social media shares!
