AIA Sandcastle Competition in Galveston on May 31, 2014

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- Each year, one of the first signs that summer is truly upon the Gulf Coast is the AIA Sandcastle Competition on Galveston's East Beach. Teams of architects, designers and engineers break out their best creative designs, bringing months of work and planning to life from sand on Saturday, May 31, 2014, as they have for more than two decades.

Although pouring rain threatened to flatten the competition this year, the contest simply could not be stopped. The sun shone brightly by the time the teams put the finishing touches on the incredible creations.

The judging of the sculptures is rated on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical difficulty, carving technique and utilization of the site. In addition to the highest honor of the Golden Bucket, awards are given in several categories, including Best Traditional, That's Entertainment, Most Complex, Stars and Stripes, Best Architectural, Most Hilarious, Most Lifelike/Realistic, as well as best team t-shirt design, best team signage, best costume and public favorite.

The Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has been hosting this competition since 1986.