Cantigny accepting entries for photo contest

Cantigny Park in Wheaton can be a photographer's dream.

Spend any time there at all, in almost any season, and there's sure to be an image that catches your eye, from the manicured gardens to the sculptures to the museums to the festivals to the countless folks enjoying the grounds on a sun-drenched - or even rainy - afternoon.

Amateur photographers can share their work with others by entering their best images by Nov. 14 in the Cantigny in Focus annual photo contest.

Submitted photographs (maximum 10) must be from the grounds of Cantigny Park or Cantigny Golf in Wheaton, the 500-acre former estate of Robert R. McCormick. Pictures taken in 2016 or earlier are eligible.

Cantigny-appointed judges will select 20 images for public display in the park's Visitors Center Gallery. Judges look for photographs that best represent the scope of Cantigny, including gardens, museums, special events, festivals, golf, adult and children's programs, concerts, military events and nature.

The entries chosen for display will be enlarged, professionally framed at Cantigny's expense and returned to the photographers at the end of 2017. Top finishers also receive a free annual membership to Cantigny Park.

Winning entries will be on display starting Feb. 3. Park visitors may then vote for their favorite images through Dec. 3, 2017. Owners of the top three vote-getters will receive a prize.

Full details about Cantigny in Focus, including rules and official entry form, are available online at cantigny.org. Questions may be directed to Brian Gray at (630) 260-8167 or bgray@Cantigny.org.