Spooner Memorial Library will be hosting two contests this year for Jack O Lantern Festival on October 14th. The Pumpkin Carving/Painting Contest will be back for all ages. This year there will be a Ages 6+ Fall Recipe Contest as well. Entry forms are available in the library and online here:
Pumpkin Carving/Painting Contest Rules:
• Contest is open to all ages.
• One entry per person.
• The main part of each entry must be a pumpkin or a member of the pumpkin family. Pumpkins may be carved OR decorated. Objects, paper and materials of any kind may be pinned or glued to pumpkins. Participants may also draw or paint on their entries, cut designs into their surfaces or dress them up. No electrical device may be used as part of any entry.
• Each entry must have a title.
• No burning candles will be allowed. Battery operated tea lights are suggested but not required.
• Pumpkins must be dropped off between 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on October 14th. Pumpkins will be judged between 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Announcement of winners will be posted on the Library Front Doors. Prizes can be claimed from 2:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday or during library business hours the following week. Pumpkins not claimed on Saturday will be placed outside and discarded if not retrieved at the end of the weekend.
• Prizes will be awarded to winning entries. Decisions of the judges are final.
• Children/teen entries must be decorated by the child/teen, with minimal help from adults.
There will be FIVE WINNERS, one in each category. Age-appropriate entries determined at judge’s discretion.
Age 0-5
Age 6-11
Age 12-17
Age 18+
People’s Choice (all ages)
Entries will be judged according to the following criteria:
• Attention to Detail
• Creativity
• Difficulty for Age
• Quality of the work
Fall Dessert Contest Rules: CONTEST RULES:
• Contest is open to ages 6-11, 12-17, and adult.
• Entry must be a dessert and fall themed and must be cooked/baked by the person whose name appears on the entry form.
• Entrants must provide enough of their entry to allow for 6 judges to have a taste.
• NOTE – Entries are judged on presentation as well. Photo may be taken upon drop off to be used for presentation if food needs to be kept warm.
• Each entry must have a title and include a recipe card.
• Prepared dish with name on the container, along with this entry form and recipe card must be brought to the library between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on October 14th unless other arrangements are made. Recipes will be judged a between 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. by Spooner officials. Dishes must be picked up between 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. that same day unless other arrangements are made.
Recipes will be judged according to excellence in flavor, presentation, creativity, and use of Fall theme and a combined score of those three categories will determine 1st place prize in each age group.
Additionally, judges will vote on their overall favorite in these categories. Judges’ decisions are final.
Flavor – overall taste of dish
Presentation – overall look and delivery of dish
Creativity – how unique is the dish
Use of Fall theme