If you’re a talented artist who could use $500, don’t delay and enter the 2010 Merced County Fair’s logo design contest.

The search continues to find the best graphic design to illustrate the 2010 Merced County Fair’s theme, “Wetlands, Water & Wildlife.” The deadline to submit entries is Friday, Oct. 30 at 5 p.m.

Wouldn’t it be cool to see your artwork everywhere -- on billboards, posters, T-shirts, buttons and banners? And you could win $500, just in time for holiday shopping, plus a pair of season passes to the fair! The competition is open to Merced County residents only.

Jeff Denno of Merced submitted the winning theme for the six-day fair, June 15-20, 2010.

“We’re hoping to be flooded with fun, creative logos to illustrate our new theme,” said Thomas D. “Tom” Musser, the fair’s CEO.

The fair’s board of directors will select the first, second and third place graphic design winners at their November 9 board meeting. The second and third place winners will each receive a pair of season passes to the fair.

To enter the contest, artists may use any medium and submit a maximum of three entries on 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper. All entries become the Merced County Fair’s property and won’t be returned to the artist. The winning entry may be altered for marketing purposes. Entries may be submitted to the fairgrounds office, 900 Martin Luther King. Jr. Way or mailed to the Merced County Fair, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Merced CA 95341. Submissions should include the entrant’s name, address and telephone number and a copy of the following statement with your signature: “The logo entry (entries) are the artist’s own original, artistic creation and intellectual property.” A story and photo about the logo winners may be issued by the fair. Information on the contest is available on the fair’s website, www.MercedCountyFair.com. For more information, call the fair office at 722-1507.