Southern Delaware Tourism 2026 photo contest to open Jan. 1

To celebrate Southern Delaware and keep it top of mind throughout the winter with visitors planning 2026 travel, Southern Delaware Tourism is launching its 10th annual photo contest.

Both locals and visitors are invited and encouraged to enter. Entries will be accepted from midnight, Thursday, Jan. 1, through 5 p.m., Friday, March 6. Winners will be announced Friday, March 20.

There will be one grand prize-winning photo as well as one winning photo in each of three categories: Southern Delaware Dog Days, Southern Delaware Events, and Southern Delaware Freestyle.

Model releases are required if a photo contains recognizable likenesses of individuals. Entries must have been taken in Sussex County, and photo locations must be included with submissions.

For Southern Delaware Dog Days, entries should feature furry friends enjoying the outdoors in Southern Delaware, whether that’s on the beach or boardwalk, on a restaurant patio, in a kayak, on a hiking trail, at an event, sharing an ice cream or strolling through a downtown.

Southern Delaware Events submissions must feature at least one person at any of the local festivals, arts and entertainment events, crawls, tours, parades or races.

For Southern Delaware Freestyle, contestants should send images that show what they love most about this special place they’ve chosen as home or as a go-to destination.

Photo contest winners will be selected by Tony Pratt and Pamela Aquilani, photographers well known in Southern Delaware and beyond.

All eligible photo entries will be uploaded by Southern Delaware Tourism to its Instagram feed @VisitSouthDel with the hashtag #SoDelPhotoContest2026.

Entrants are responsible for reading all entry and eligibility rules and requirements prior to submission.

For full contest rules and prize information, and to upload entries, go to visitsoutherndelaware.com/southern-delaware-tourism-photo-contest.