A New Season Takes Shape

Bethe
22 hours ago
2 min read

April 2026 • Bandon, Oregon

Three days. Perfect sand. Cathedral Rock standing watch. That's how the 2026 Circles in the Sand season began.

We couldn't have asked for better conditions to open our summer season, well, mostly. Sunday and Tuesday were ideal, and drawing in front of Cathedral Rock reminded us all why we keep coming back to this remarkable stretch of Oregon coast year after year. Monday had other ideas: the rain arrived right before walk time, softening the artwork considerably. The paths, though, held up better than we could have expected. And the walkers? They showed up anyway, damp and undeterred, which honestly made the day one of the most memorable of the series. The labyrinth paths evolved just as they should, steady, deliberate, and full of quiet wonder, rain and all.

This series marked a meaningful milestone for our crew. After Denny Dyke's retirement at the end of last year, this was our first full draw series without him leading on the sand. But Denny wasn't far away. True to form, he was up on top of the cliff, talking to curious visitors and answering questions about our labyrinths.

None of this happens without our incredible volunteers. Thank you to everyone who showed up to rake the sand between the paths. Your work is the quiet backbone of everything we do out there. It was wonderful to meet so many of you.

Over the three days, we welcomed people from all across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We were delighted to host visitors from Ukraine and Germany as well. This season is already feeling wonderfully international. The labyrinth has a way of gathering people from all walks of life and all corners of the world, and that felt especially true for this first draw series.

What a wonderful start to the season. We are so grateful for the sand, for our team, for the community of volunteers and walkers who make Circles in the Sand what it is.