Katrina Sargent

The South Dakota State Agricultural Heritage Museum hosted a Pumpkin Decorating Contest for the second year in a row.

Entrants were asked to submit any type of pumpkin or gourd decorated in any way from Oct. 24-Oct. 30.

The contestants were divided into three age groups and received prizes donated by Sarah Woodard of Best Choice GMAC Real Estate. Lynne Verschoor, Director of the South Dakota Art Museum, judged the pumpkins.

The contest had eight competitors. The youth category included young people between the ages of five and 17. The first place winner was Jamie McKinney, second place was Jane Glanzer and Taylor Morton took third.

SDSU students had their own category, and could be either undergrad or graduate students. Caetlyn Van Buren, a pharmacy major, took first place in this section.

Dorothy Ishol took first place in the Adult category and Sharon Nichols was second.

The museum decided to hold the contest because of the agricultural and historical value of pumpkins, said South Dakota State Agricultural Museum Curator Carrie Van Buren.

“The most fun part of the pumpkin decorating contest is seeing the creativity, playfulness and imagination of the contestants,” Van Buren said.

#1.883176:2737819145.jpg:pumpkins.br.2.jpg::Blair Rau