Dexter Daze T-shirt Design Contest Open to Public

Can you draw or paint? Are you crafty with Photoshop? Have you ever wanted to design a T-shirt? Then you might have what it takes to win the second annual Dexter Daze T-shirt design contest.

"Last year was the first year we held a logo contest," said Laurie Kokmeyer, Dexter Daze committee member.

Last year, the contest was open only to students enrolled in the Dexter High School computer class, which worked on T-shirt design as a class project.

"Last year, we liked two designs, so this year, we're offering two prizes," Kokmeyer said.

Both prizes are set at $100 each.

She said that the contest is open to all students at the high school and anyone in the community. Artwork can be done either by hand or on the computer and must be submitted on the Dexter Daze website by Monday.

All artwork to be considered must include the words "Dexter Daze" and the festival's dates of Aug. 12 and 13, as well as the year.

The best T-shirt design will be chosen via an online ballot between April 15 and April 22 on www.dexterdaze.org.

Nick Gonet, former DHS student, won the adult T-shirt contest last year, and Ariel Star created the winning child's T-shirt.

Kokmeyer said many of the past T-shirt designs have included pictures of the gazebo in Monument Park and the clock on Main Street.

Tracey Mayrand, Dexter Daze committee member, said that students really enjoyed entering the contest last year.

"It's a way for them to take part, get their work acknowledged and get some prize money," she said.

Gonet, a student at Michigan State University, said he might enter the contest again this year.

"It's a really fun idea. It was really fun to see my design all over town," he said.

He added that his strategy this year will be to keep the design simple.

"I will make it straight to the point," Gonet said, adding that he uses Adobe Photoshop to make his designs.

He said that he hopes a lot of people enter the contest.

"The more entries, the better. It's really cool to look at them," Gonet said.

Mayrand said that voting on the T-shirt designs is done by a blind ballot—no names will appear on the website until after the voting is decided.

"You won't know who made what design," she said.

The 39th annual Dexter Daze festival will be held Aug. 12 and 13. It features craft booths, musical entertainment, food vendors and entertainment for kids such as face painting, clowns and arts and crafts make-and-takes.

For complete contest details, click on http://dexterdaze.org/tshirt.html.