Contest Rules

1. The Cutest Christmas Pet Photo Contest is open to anyone 18 years or older who would like to enter a pet photo to compete for the title of "Cutest Christmas Pet 2025" for Weirton’s Christmas on Main Street event.
2. Eligible animals can include any pet or group of pets such as a dog, cat, bird, gecko, horse, goat, goldfish, bunny, chicken, pig, hamster, turtle, or any similar animal that can be photographed and lives with the contest entrant; no wildlife will be accepted.
3. The contest is open to anyone, from anywhere!
4. To participate, an entrant must submit a Christmas themed pet photo.  Photos should be digital, in focus and sharp enough to look clear on the internet and showcase their pet(s). By submitting a photo, the pet owner is granting GoGo Photo Contest and the Weirton Festival Committee approval to post their photo entry on the contest website, Facebook, television, newspaper, and any other medium approved by Weirton Festival Committee.
5. Photo(s) can include people with their pets.
6. Photo(s) can include more than one pet.
7. One photo per submission (no collages).
8. No edited or altered photos (other than for minor quality adjustment) will be accepted. We cannot accept copyrighted professional photos.
9.  The entrance fee is $10 per pet submission. With payment of the submission fee, 10 votes are automatically awarded.
10. Pet owners are encouraged to have their friends, relatives and co-workers visit the contest website and vote for their pet. Each vote costs $1, and there is no maximum on how many votes can be purchased. For example, $100 pays for 100 votes that can be used anytime during the contest period. Pet owners may purchase additional votes throughout the contest. Due to processing costs, a minimum $5 donation (5 votes) is required when voting. 
11. All entry fees and payments submitted for voting are non-refundable and non-transferable.
12. By submitting entries into the competition, entrants are committing to pay for all entry fees in full.
13. All proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Weirton Festival Committee and Weirton’s Christmas on Main Street event taking place on November 22, 2025, and a local animal rescue organization to be given a donation for the holiday season.
    
    

Contest starts 12:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 and ends at midnight (11:59:59 PM Eastern Time) on Friday, November 14, 2025.

Weirton Festival Committee will make every attempt to notify the winners via telephone or email by November 17, 2025. 

1. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.
2. In the event that the operation of the contest is impaired in any way for any reason, Weirton Festival Committee may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the contest to address the impairment and then resume the contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of the Official Rules, or (b) terminate the contest, and in the event of termination, award the prizes from among the eligible, legitimate entries received up to the time of impairment. The Weirton Festival Committee reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process; the operation of the contest; act in an unsportsmanlike, disruptive, or offensive manner; or act in violation of these Official Rules.
3. By participating in the "Cutest Christmas Pet Photo Contest”, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Weirton Festival Committee, all other Sponsors and or Partners, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising, promotional agencies, other companies associated the contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, members, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim for cause of action arising out of participating in this contest or receipt or use of the prize(s).
4. Under NO circumstances will entrants be granted a refund.
   
   

For entrants to participate in this contest, we must collect some personal information such as the first and last name, email address, age, and city of residence. We also ask for the name and age of pets being entered, which will be shared with the public. The entrant’s personal information is not visible to the public, nor will any information gathered be shared with any other agencies, organizations, or persons unless required by law or necessary because of e-commerce transactions. Because we are using the GoGo Photo Contest website, this information is stored on their servers. Credit card information must also be collected from the secure GoGo Photo Contest website. We will not collect, rent, trade, or sell information for commercial purposes or in any way different from what has been disclosed.

• The animal(s) entered in the contest must be living in the care of the person submitting the entry. EXCEPTION: Consider submitting an entry in memory of a pet who has passed away.
• Only Christmas themed photos will be accepted.
• Acceptable photo formats are JPEG and PNG.
• Photos may not be edited or altered (other than for minor quality adjustment). We cannot accept copyrighted professional photos.
• One photo per submission (no collages).
• Photos must:
• Be at least 300 dpi in order to minimize photo distortion online
• Be in color
• Be Christmas themed
• Contain a pet and/or multiple pets
• Photos of people with their pets will be accepted
• Be in horizontal (landscape) format
• Please choose a photo with the highest resolution possible.
  
  

• Online entries must be received between 12:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 and midnight (11:59:59 PM Eastern Time) on Friday, November 14, 2025.  Entries will be accepted at any time throughout the contest period. Once a photo is submitted and approved by Weirton Festival Committee, it will appear in the online gallery on the contest website and will be open to voting by the public.
• By participating in this contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Weirton Festival Committee and each of its officers, directors, representatives, volunteers, and agents from and against any claims of any nature arising out of participation in the contest or receipt or use of any prize.
• The contest is subject to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.
• Click the "Participate" tab on the contest website. Each vote costs $1, and there is no limit to the number of votes one may cast. Voters do not have to use all the votes at the time of donation. When voters donate, they will be given the option of applying all the votes to one photo, spreading their votes over various photos, or storing votes in their account. Each dollar donated to a pet's campaign represents one vote. Due to processing costs, a minimum $5 donation (5 votes) is required.
• Entrants are welcome to vote for their own pet.
• Entrants are highly encouraged to seek votes from friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues, and others around the world. Be sure to let them know that their votes help support the Weirton Festival Committee and a local animal rescue organization to be given a donation for the holiday season.  Share the link via social media!
• All votes will be periodically tabulated and displayed on the contest website.
• All donations and entry fees to the photo contest are non-refundable.
• All votes must be applied to selected photos by the conclusion of the voting period on  midnight (11:59:59 PM Eastern Time) on Friday, November 14, 2025 to be counted.
• A refund will NOT be given for votes that are claimed to be not populated by the midnight (11:59:59 PM Eastern Time) on Friday, November 14, 2025.
• An email address is required to make an online donation so a receipt can be sent to the donor.
• If the winner cannot be contacted by November 17, 2025, the second place winner will take the top spot. Should the second place winner also not be successfully contacted by the deadline of November 18, 2025, the third place winner takes the top spot.
  
  

• Entries meeting the photo criteria must be submitted between 12:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 and midnight (11:59:59 PM Eastern Time) on Friday, November 14, 2025.
• Entries will be accepted at any time throughout the contest period.
• All contest votes must be received between 12:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 and midnight (11:59:59 PM Eastern Time) on Friday, November 14, 2025.