This is the last post on the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest. Going to share pictures from Art in the Park. So before I get into it, I need to thank everybody that helped with the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest setup.

Jesse Howard – For picking up all the photos from the downtown retailers on Saturday Night and transporting them out to McHose Park for Art in the Park and helping setup there.
Monica Jennings – For putting together the displays at both the downtown retailers and for Art in the Park.
Kelly Howard – For loaning us Salon 908 as a base of operations while setting up displays at the downtown businesses.
Saydie Howard – For helping carry a display to the Boone Theater.
Andy Sharp – For helping setup the display at Art in the Park.
Logan Kahler – For helping man the display at Art in the Park and helping to tear it down.
Dawn Krause – For helping tear down the display at Art in the Park.
Kevin Krause- For helping tear down the display at Art in the Park.
Jeremy Blankman – For loaning us the truck to protect, transport, and store the photo displays between Saturday and Sunday.

And to the downtown vendors that hosted images:

Ema’s Elegance
Boone Theater
Melissa Bell Photography
Salon 908
Paradox
Infamous Tattoo
Houndstooth Habadashery

This year, the photo display was under the awning of the Shelter House and that made a night and day difference from last year’s tent debacle.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Here is the part where I give a bunch of stats that only me and Joe Duff find interesting. I took over the Pufferbilly Days Photo Contest in 2021. Here is a year by year entry totals:

2021 – 23
2022 – 60
2023 – 121
2024 – 162

Last year there were 74 ADULT entries. This year there were 94.
Last year there were 13 TEEN entries. This year there were 38.
Last year there were 34 YOUTH entries. This year there were 30.

This was the distribution of entries by Photo Class:

ADULT ANIMALS: 15
ADULT BLACK & WHITE: 8
ADULT PEOPLE: 18
ADULT PLACES: 30
ADULT PLANTS: 12
ADULT TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES: 11
TEEN ANIMALS: 4
TEEN BLACK & WHITE: 4
TEEN PEOPLE: 3
TEEN PLACES: 12
TEEN PLANTS: 8
TEEN TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES: 7
YOUTH ANIMALS: 7
YOUTH BLACK & WHITE: 3
YOUTH PEOPLE: 3
YOUTH PLACES: 5
YOUTH PLANTS: 8
YOUTH TRAINS, PLANES, & AUTOMOBILES: 4

One of the best things about this years contests that ever photo class in every age division had enough entries to give out at least a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place ribbon.

This year there were 36 total participants.

21 Adults
8 Teens
7 Youth

I’m kind of energized for next year’s photo contest now. I have ideas for improving the displays for next year, which I will need help and volunteers to get done. But most of that is just improving the current boards. Double siding them. Painting them. Such things.

Might need to add some more volunteers for next year. Try to spread some of the responsibilities around. But we’ll cross that bridge another day.