PHOTOS: AIA Sandcastle Competition in Galveston on May 30, 2015

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- More than 60 teams of architects, designers and engineers grabbed their shovels and buckets and headed to Galveston's East Beach on Saturday, May 20, 2015, all hoping to bring home the prized Golden Bucket trophy for in the AIA Sandcastle Competition. Their creative sand creations are the result of months of work and planning.

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. The AIA SandCastle Competition is a fund-raising event for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation.