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The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) is celebrating the summer vacation season with the inaugural Black Belt Road Trip Photo Contest featuring photos that showcase the many attractions and activities available throughout the region, including outdoor recreation like fishing, hiking and bird watching, visiting cultural or historic sites, or enjoying the Black Belt’s lively art and food scene.

Residents in Black Belt areas like Lowndes County are encouraged to submit pictures of summer outings in the area. The photos could include shots captured while attending the recent Juneteenth Celebration in White Hall, cruising in the Ramblin Thunder motorcycle ride or enjoying Sunday dinner around the family table in Fort Deposit.

“Summer travel has become defined by experiences, rather than destinations, and that’s exactly what this new photo contest is designed to highlight,” ALBBAA Director Pam Swanner said. “There’s so much to experience right here in Alabama’s Black Belt. Maybe we’ll see photos of people enjoying the great outdoors at Roland Cooper State Park on the Alabama River or Lakepoint State Park on Lake Eufaula or Lake Lurleen State Park near Tuscaloosa.

“Maybe we’ll have photo entries showing visits to Old Cahawba or Moundville,” she continued. “Maybe people will submit photos showing iconic Civil Rights sites in Selma and Montgomery, adventurous activities like whitewater rafting on the Chattahoochee River or visiting Montgomery Whitewater, or maybe having a delicious meal with the family. These are just a few examples of the type of photos we expect to be submitted in this new contest.”

All photos entered in the 2024 Black Belt Road Trip Photo Contest must be taken in the Black Belt’s 23-county footprint and must include people. Selfies or family photos taken in front of an attraction’s sign are welcome.

The contest will have a first-, second-, and third-place winner. First prize is a two-night stay for up to four people in one of the beautiful Lakepoint State Park cottages in Eufaula, subject to availability at the time of reservation, and the stay must be used within the next 12 months following the conclusion of the contest. ALBBAA will also provide $150 to the winner for travel expenses. 

The second-place finisher will receive a $75 gas card, and the third-place winner will receive a gift basket filled with ALBBAA-themed merchandise.

The contest, which begins June 14 and runs through Aug. 15, follows guidelines similar to other ALBBAA photo contests, including:

To view contest rules and submit entries, visit ALBBAA website – https://alabamablackbeltadventures.org/news-more/shoot-the-black-belt/roadtrip-photo-contest/. 

The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.

The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association is committed to promoting and enhancing outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities in the Black Belt in a manner that provides economic and ecological benefits to the region and its citizens. For information, go to www.alabamablackbeltadventures.org.