Retro Chronicle’s first Retro Pumpkin Contest

It’s that time of the year again. And to celebrate, I’ve decided to host Retro Chronicle’s first ever pumpkin-carving contest!

Fall is my favorite season, because it’s marked by several of my favorite traditions– one of which is carving pumpkins. Last year and for the first time in many years, I decided to visit a local pumpkin patch to pick up a couple orange guards to carve. It took me a while to decide on what to carve, but I finally decided on Ash’s Squirtle from the Squirtle Squad Pokemon episodes. It was important to me to set time aside to do something fun and creative and share my creation with friends. 

This October marks the first Halloween since Retro Chronicle was created. So I wanted to do something fun to showcase some creative people and get the word out about this site. Many social media contests simply involve reposting an image or sharing a page a certain number of times. But to me, that is a little spammy and unimaginative. So a pumpkin carving contest felt perfect.

This contest will take place on Instagram, which is a nostalgic platform in itself with its vintage filters and #ThrowbackThursdays. There was too much to explain about this contest in one Instagram post, so I posted this page for the contest to make it easier to locate and share information about this contest. So here are a few key details:

The contest will last for the entire month of October. How to enter:

1. Carve or decorate a pumpkin with a retro or nostalgia theme.
2. Upload a picture of your creation to Instagram.
3. Tag us (@retrochronicle) in the post and add the hashtag #retropumpkincontest.
4. Tell us (about 3-5 sentences) about how and why you carved the pumpkin this way.
5. There is no limit to the number of entries.

All submission will be considered. How entires will be judged:

1. The detail and precision of the carving/decorating.
2. The story behind it, which is important. What nostalgic memories do you associate with this carving? Don’t be hesitant to get a little sentimental.
3. Note that entries may be disqualified if we find that your Instagram account promotes dishonesty or hate.
4. The number of likes the post has will not determine the winner, but posts that are spark positive discussion will have an advantage.

Prizes:

1. First prize: One large Priority Mail box full of retro goodies. Stay tuned to the @retrochronicle Instagram page for updates about what’s inside. Must be a U.S. resident.
2. Second and third prizes: Download codes for Wii U/3DS games (TBA).
3. Top ten entries will be featured on Retro Chronicle, in a compilation post about the most creative entries.

The Retro Pumpkin Contest starts right now! The success of this year’s contest could determine whether or not there will be future contests. If this goes well, it could be interesting to see sponsors for next year’s prizes as well as various categories of judging, such as most creative, funniest, most controversial and so on.

This will be my first contest, so there may be a few hic-ups here or there. So if you have any questions or concerns, message me with the contact tab above.

And here’s a glimpse of the first place prize: