Winner Selected for 34th Annual Popcorn Festival Poster Contest!

Valparaiso Community Festivals & Events (VCFE) held a contest last month for local artists to create the poster for the 34th Annual Popcorn Festival. Valparaiso resident, Melissa Washburn, was selected as the winner of this year’s contest. Melissa’s poster was inspired by taking a nostalgic look at popcorn itself. “I wanted the poster to reference old-fashioned popcorn boxes,” she stated, “the idea of Americana was very fitting of an event that has been such a long-standing tradition in Valparaiso.” Melissa has a background in fine arts and graphic design which is why she wanted to incorporate something drawn by hand. “I created the popcorn in watercolor pencil and added it to the design digitally.”

Melissa’s design is not only displayed on a poster, but it also appears on t-shirts, buttons and brochures for the event. All 24 poster entries are on display at rTrail Collective Edge in downtown Valparaiso from May 3 – 31 and can be voted on for the People’s Choice Award. The Popcorn Festival brings over 55,000 visitors to Downtown Valparaiso each year and has been named “The Best Festival in the Region” by The Times readers for 13 years. For more information about the Popcorn Festival and other events planned for this year, visit VCFE at www.valparaisoevents.com or call 464.8332.