El Paso Man Honors ‘Coronado Sandman’ with Halloween Costume

Halloween in El Paso was full of plenty of hilarious, spooky, and pretty iconic costumes!

You had your Barbies and Kens, your Michael Myers and Jasons, inflatable dinosaurs and other trending costumes, but there was one costume I came across that really made my heart smile. 

A friend of mine, Silver, aka Silver is Real, posted a photo of his costume this year which was a heartwarming tribute to an El Paso legend, The "Coronado Sandman." 

Alberto Avila, known as the "Coronado Sandman," left a mark on the city with his amazing sand art that would grace parking lots and busy intersections, mainly on the Eastside of El Paso. 

His creations were so detailed and beautiful and even though Avila knew the wind would eventually erase his artwork,  he would still spend all his time and energy on making sure his sand art was a masterpiece.

The "Coronado Sandman" moniker originated from Avila's early life in Coronado, California. However, he was an El Pasoan at heart, and his sand art became a cherished part of the local culture.

Silver's decision to pay tribute to Avila, who passed away 5 years ago, not only celebrated the artist's legacy but also demonstrated the strong sense of community in El Paso. 

"I had all the stuff to make an airline pilot work but my friend suggested I be 'The Sandman'. My mind was blown and I went with it. He knew how much inspiration he'd brought into my life in 2013,” said Silver.

When Silver posted the photos of his costume on his Instagram page, Alberto Avila's son expressed his gratitude by commenting:

"My dad would have loved it. People in Coronado, San Diego have done that too! Thank you for remembering him."