Fall decorating contest will award $250 in cash

    As the leaves begin to fall and temperatures someday may cool down, the city of Imperial is sponsoring a new artistic contest with autumn in mind.
    The Fall Light Pole Decorating Contest will challenge residents and businesses to decorate one of the light poles along Broadway Street.
    And, the first place decorator will win a $250 first place cash prize.
    The prize money is being provided by an anonymous donor, said Community Development Director Jason Tuller.
    Tuller told council members at their Tuesday meeting this week that “anything fall or harvest-related” is the theme decorators should follow.    
    Items such as hay bales, cornstalks, scarecrows, pumpkins and more were suggested as items to include in the decorating.
    However, Halloween themes should be excluded. “Anything scary or creepy” isn’t what the judges will be looking for, he said.
    Tuller plans to have numbers attached to all the poles included along Broadway. He’s having 40 numbers laminated and hopes to have them up on the poles this week. That will include most of the poles on Broadway.
    Individuals, groups or businesses can select the pole they want, then email him at jasont@imperial-ne.com and he will assign them that pole.
    Choice of poles is first come, first served, he said.
    Contest entries should be completed by Friday, Oct. 11. Judging will take place Oct. 25.
    Signage on any of the poles should not be covered when decorating, he added.
    The idea for the contest came from Joyce Malleck of Imperial, Tuller said, after she saw a similar decorating contest while traveling in Oklahoma.