Photo and poetry contests open for Maple Ridge Earth Day festivities

Submissions are now being accepted for both the Earth Day photo and poetry contests.

For the Poetry and More contest, participants are being invited to enter their best poem, flash fiction, or video – or a still photograph for the photo contest – based on the theme of this years Earth Day celebration: Flow.

“Whether we admit it or not, embrace it or not, change is the only constant in life,” said event coordinator Leanne Koehn with Ridge Meadows Recycling Society about the theme of the event.

“Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed and need to step OUT of the flow for a bit, take a break, clear your head. Maybe you have been looking in from the outside for too long and need the courage and encouragement to step IN – to connect with people, get involved in the community, volunteer. Maybe you are dancing with the flow, enjoying where it takes you or working to divert it to a better place,” she continued.

First, second, and third place winners will be chosen in each of the three categories: children for those up to 10 years; youth aged 11-16; and adult 17 and older.

Additional winners for the photo contest will also be chosen in the same three categories – plus there will be a grand prize winner.

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Entries into the Poetry and More contest can be emailed to EarthDayCreative2021@gmail.com by midnight on Friday, March 31. Winners will be announced by April 16, 2023 and may be asked to have their work published or read at the Earth Day Welcoming Ceremonies on Saturday, April 22.

Photo contest entries can be emailed in jpg format, a minimum 1MB in size, with the name and age of the participant, if they are under the age of 17, to r.davies@shaw.ca by midnight on Friday, March 31.

Entries will be posted on the Celebrate Earth Day Facebook page and then they will be voted on by the public until Friday, April 14.

Winners will be announced at the Earth Day Welcoming Ceremonies at 10:30 on Saturday, April 22 on the front steps of the ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge.