Pumkin Carving Contests
Fun Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contests
As I was surfing the Internet and browsing through various websites in search of pumpkin carving contests for the upcoming year 2008, I was surprised and more than a little disappointed that there were but a few. Perhaps my expectations were unrealistic.
I did, however, come across a site that sponsors a virtual pumpkin contest which I believe is the first and only contest of its kind and a great idea as well. You will find this contest at:
http://www.stpaulrealestateblog.com/st_paul_real_estate/2006/10/virtual_pumpkin.html.
All you need to do is enter the Microsoft Window paint program and virtually carve your virtual pumpkin. Once you have brought your virtual Jack O’ Lantern to a satisfactory completion, follow the submission guidelines and good luck. There is no need to buy a pumpkin, no need to search for a pumpkin carving stencil although one might be helpful for this project as well and there is no need for pumpkin carving tools. Isn’t that great? I think it is!
What I also discovered while in the midst of my search for a pumpkin carving contest was that many companies, large and small, host annual pumpkin carving contest for their staff but display the entries on their website and allow visitors to cast their votes. The winners are then published on the companies’ websites as well. AP Architects, for example, hold a pumpkin carving contest for their employees and display the entire event on the website at http://www.addington.net/Halloween07.as.
I have not yet had the pleasure of personally submitting an entry to any of these contests although I plan to do it this coming 2008 Halloween, some of them sound quite official. For instance, the Joystiq Pumpkin Carving Contest found at http://www.joystiq.com/photos/joystiq-pumpkin-carving-contest-07/ provides an extensive list of ‘official rules’ and disclaimers as follows (I will paraphrase the legalistic terms):
1. Statement of Fact: No purchase is required to enter or win.
2. Eligibility: The contest is open to individuals who are legal residents of any one of the fifty states of United States of America, including the District of Columbia, and who are at least eighteen years of age. Anyone who is affiliated in any way with this contest and its sponsor and their relatives and all those in their household are not eligible to enter. This contest is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void in Puerto Rico.
3. Sponsor: This contest is sponsored by Weblogs, Inc. in Beverly Hills, California.
4. Agreement to Official Rules: Contestants must abide by all the contest’s rules and all decisions made by its sponsor are final and binding.
5. Entry Period: If you decide to compete in this contest, please note the time posted for Halloween 2008 at the site which I provided above.
6. How to Enter: All submissions must be made within the entry period on a video themed photo of a carved pumpkin to Joystiq.com. One entry per person is permitted. The designs must be the contestant’s own work and they must be original. No template carving is permitted. The photo submitted must be the contestant’s own photo.
7. Finalist Selections/Online Voting: A few days before Halloween the sponsor will select the top twenty five finalists based on creativity and skill. The twenty five finalists will be displayed online at http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/joystiq-pumpkin-carving-contest-vote-n-the-finalists/ and will be opened for public voting for approximately twenty four hours. The top ten potential winners will be contacted by the sponsor for their mailing address.
8. Requirements of the Potential Winners: The potential winners will be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release and an IRS W-9 form.
9. Prizes: Ten winners will each receive a copy of Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles that retails at approximately $30.
A few other rules have been published for this contest but I think that both you and I get the picture—this is an official contest. I’ll be entering, wish me luck.
Posted in Pumpkin Stencils
content rss