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NATCHEZ — One of the most coveted art competitions in the Miss-Lou area is under way now.

Local artists have an opportunity to enter the artwork competition for the 2024 Natchez Balloon Festival.

Submissions are due by June 28. The winner will receive $1,000, and their artwork will be displayed on posters, t-shirts, and other memorabilia at the 39th annual Natchez Balloon Festival Oct. 18 and 19.

Artists should send JPG, PDF, or PNG submissions to BalloonFestival@natchez.org. Make certain to include your contact information with your submission. Please include the year and the event’s name somewhere in the artwork.

Past winners include Sabreya DeLancey, Ben Hillyer, Debora Novarini, Alex Felter, KateLee Laird, Jennie Guido, Kourtney Zimmerman, Tim Givens, Kay Browning, Wyatt Waters, Will Smith and Sim Hicks.

“The Natchez Balloon Festival Committee looks forward to the artwork contest every year. We are always very impressed by the creativity of the submissions,” said Carter Burns, executive director of the Historic Natchez Foundation, which organizes the balloon festival each year and is a member of the committee.

The event is a fundraiser for the Historic Natchez Foundation and other local non-profits.

For more information, visit NatchezBalloonFestival.com.