Billboard contest set for second year

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Hunter and Carley Briles' smiling faces could be seen across north Alabama last summer.
The Russellville siblings were the face of the Franklin County Watermelon Festival after winning the chamber of commerce's first annual billboard contest.
Each year, the chamber purchases advertising space throughout north Alabama to advertise for the annual Franklin County Watermelon Festival, hoping to attract visitors to the county's largest annual event.
Cheryl Bradford, executive director of the chamber of commerce, developed the idea of the billboard contest last year as a way to create interest in the festival.
One boy and one girl from Franklin County will be selected to serve as the faces of the festival.
The contest begins today and will conclude at 5 p.m. on May 29.
Bradford said she is excited about identifying the faces of the festival for 2009.
"Each year the Watermelon Festival continues to grow and I think these children who win the billboard contest are an important part of that," Bradford said.
Any Franklin County child between the ages of two and 12 can enter the contest.
"One boy and one girl will be selected to appear on all the festival posters, brochures, website and billboards for this year's festival which is August 14-15," Bradford said.
The winners will also be featured on the Faces and Places magazine, an annual publication of The Franklin County Times that is distributed statewide.
To enter, drop off or mail a small individual photo, no larger than 5×7, to the chamber office. The entry fee is $10 per child, which is paid upon entry.
Each vote is 25 cents and can be paid by check or cash only. Each week the contestants will appear in Saturday's edition of The Franklin County Times and Wednesday's edition of The Red Bay News.
The winners of the contest will be announced on Friday, May 29.