The City of Santa Clarita invites youth to participate in the 2013 Youth Poetry Roundup Contest in celebration of the 20th Annual Cowboy Festival taking place at Melody Ranch™ Motion Picture Studio and other venues throughout the City on Thursday, April 18 through Sunday, April 21, 2013.

To be eligible, all original poetry submissions along with a completed entry form must be mailed by April 4, 2013 to Donnamae Avila at the Santa Clarita Activities Center, located at 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway.

“This year, the City celebrates its 20th anniversary of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival and we’re excited to give local youth an opportunity to participate in this momentous event,” said Mayor Bob Kellar. “This art contest is a great way for young students to get involved in the community and showcase their creativity.”

The contest is divided into four categories: 1st through 3rd grade, 4th through 6th grade, 7th through 9th grade and 10th through 12th grade. First place winners will receive eight general admission tickets to the Cowboy Festival, second place winners will be awarded six general admission tickets and third place will received four general admission tickets. Trophies will also be awarded to the winners in each age group. Additionally, the top three winners in each category will be invited to recite their poetry onstage at the Cowboy Festival on Sunday, April 21, 2013.

Students are encouraged to write about the life of a cowboy and cowgirl, the settlement of the West, life on the open range, or cowgirls and cowboys of the future. All poetry should rhyme or be in rhymed couplets and should tell a story in the historic oral narrative tradition. All poems must be legibly written or typed, and double-spaced. Entries must be no longer than one page and only one poem per student will be accepted.

For more information on the 20th Annual Cowboy Festival Youth Poetry Roundup or to print out an entry form, please call (661) 250-3785 or visit CowboyFestival.org/youth.