SALEM, New Hampshire — Salem Police recently held a festive pumpkin carving and painting contest for local children and families looking to get in the Halloween spirit.
Local children and families were invited to stop by the Salem Police Department on Oct. 9 to pick up a pumpkin, donated by Peters Farm. All who participated wore a mask and were reminded of social distancing guidance.
Residents painted, carved, and decorated their pumpkins for submission to the department’s Jack-O-Lantern contest by no later than Oct. 13.
In all, 28 pumpkins were submitted to the contest, which were posted on social media for the community to like or comment to vote for their favorites. There were a few ties, and a final round of voting was held Oct. 16 and winners of the contest were announced on Oct. 19.
“The submissions we received to this contest were so creative and fun, we had a great time engaging with the community. We were really wowed by the effort everyone put in,” Community Affairs Officer Brian Lawrence said. “It was a great way to generate some Halloween spirit, and we want to thank everyone who took part.”
The first place winner of the competition was Camden Vouris, who submitted a pumpkin painted, carved and decorated to look like Sesame Street’s “Cookie Monster.”
Kristy Leonard, came in second place for a pumpkin she carved into a “jail cell.”
The Tata Family came in third place for their “Super Mario” themed pumpkin.
Each winner was given a Target gift card, courtesy of Granite United Church, as well as a gift bag full of goodies from the Salem Police Department.
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