Candle comp stays aglow after 24 years

A GENTLE glow from candles will light up Lorne’s St George River this weekend for the town’s annual candle and castle competition.

Residents will gather at the estuary beach on Saturday for the contest, where entrants will create candlelit sand structures, for the chance to win prizes donated by local businesses as a top-three creation or at the event raffle.

This year’s competition in the 24th edition of the annual event, which adopts a “no rules, no age limit and no cost” mantra, inviting people from all walks of life to participate.

Lorne resident Chloe Messner began the contest in 1998 in response to a perceived lack of community events in Lorne.

While regular gatherings have since popped up across the town in the intervening decades, the candle and castle competition still burns brightly at Lorne, as a yearly outlet for residents to spend a therapeutic day shaping sand and enjoying a communal experience.

“A friend years ago said no one does community events and things we could do for fun, so I took that as a challenge,” Ms Messner said.

“You can make whatever, it doesn’t have to be a sandcastle; we’ve had echidnas and trains, all kinds of stuff. The idea is right on dusk they light it up with candles and it looks really cool.”

Since starting the local event, Ms Messner has completed a research Masters into the benefits of nature-based play, which strengthened her belief in the concept.

“Now I can substantiate it and say it’s really good for your mental health, for everybody,” she said.

“Connecting with people is really good for people’s mental health. There’s issues with anxiety and isolation that are exaggerated through COVID.

“Because there’s no rules, people don’t feel like anything’s prescribed; rules are created or made up and people have fun.”

Ms Messner said the event was always popular with children but was open to entrants of all ages to enjoy a relaxing time on Saturday. The event kicks off at 6.30pm.