GEORGETOWN — To celebrate Sussex County and to keep it top of mind with visitors planning 2021 travel, Southern Delaware Tourism will launch its fifth annual photo contest next month.

Both locals and visitors are encouraged to enter.

Entries will be accepted midnight Jan. 1 through 5 p.m. March 12. Winners will be announced March 26.

There will be one grand prize-winning photo, as well as one winning photo in each of three categories — Southern Delaware Lifestyle, Favorite Southern Delaware Souvenirs and Southern Delaware Wildlife.

Photo contest winners will be selected by Karl Teel, president of the Recreation News Media Group.

All eligible photo entries will be uploaded by Southern Delaware Tourism to its Instagram feed (@VisitSouthDel) with #SoDelPhotoContest2021.

Categories descriptions are:
• Southern Delaware Lifestyle: Show us how you live your best life in southern Delaware. All photos must contain at least one person and have been taken in Sussex County. Photos from any season are welcome. Locations could include southern Delaware trails, beaches, bays, waterways, downtowns, businesses or restaurants and could be from boats, kayaks, paddleboards, tractors, etc.
• Favorite Southern Delaware Souvenirs: Send a photo of your favorite southern Delaware souvenir. It can be from last summer or from decades ago. It can be something you found or something you purchased. Each entry must include a note telling where you got your souvenir and why it has special meaning for you.
• Southern Delaware Wildlife: Southern Delaware’s abundant wildlife is one of its biggest attractions. From the spring migration, to the annual horseshoe crab-spawning, to our visiting snow geese, ospreys and seals, to the resident eagles, otters, deer and foxes, visitors and residents share our beautiful part of the world with many finned, feathered and furry neighbors. (Note: Southern Delaware Tourism seeks images obtained in the wild under natural conditions and in an ethical manner that places the welfare of wildlife above the photographer’s desire to obtain an image. Photographers should make every effort to avoid any action that might interfere with natural wildlife behavior or habituate wild animals to humans.)

The grand prize will be a two-night stay at Bethany Beach Ocean Suites Residence Inn. Category prizes are a two-night stay at Hyatt Place Dewey Beach (for the Southern Delaware Lifestyle category); a two-night stay at Canalside Inn, Rehoboth Beach (for the Southern Delaware Souvenirs category); and gift certificates for an Eco Tour or Osprey Banding Tour with Cape Water Tours and Taxi and a Paddle Tour with Quest Adventures, as well as an annual pass to Delaware State Parks (for the Southern Delaware Wildlife category).

To enter, email your photo(s) to sodelphotos@gmail.com between midnight Jan. 1 and 5 p.m. March 12. Be sure to read all rules and requirements prior to submission. Winners will be notified via email March 26.

For detailed information and full contest rules, go to visitsoutherndelaware.com/southern-delaware-tourism-photo-contest.