Looking for promotions inspiration? You’re in the right place. Above you’ll find tons of revenue-generating and database-building contest ideas from our 4th annual 30 Contest Ideas in 30 Minutes webinar. To discover how to fill up your contest calendar and supercharge your promotions strategy, as well as find inspiration in a variety of success stories, flip through the slide deck.

1. #PromotionsLab

2. #PromotionsLab
SPEAKERS
Matt Coen
President & Co-Founder
@mcoen
Julie Foley
Director of Affiliate Success
@julie_foley

3. #PromotionsLab
WHO WE ARE

4. #PromotionsLab
WHY ONLINE PROMOTIONS?
Source:BorrellAssociates
InBillions

5. #PromotionsLab
secondstreetlab.com

6. #PromotionsLab
OUR PARTNERS
2,900 media companies & growing

7. #PromotionsLab
Follow @secondstreetlab
on Twitter!
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prize? Be the one who
tweets the most with our
hashtag #PromotionsLab
Note: We are recording this
webinar and you will receive
an email with links to the
recording and slide deck.
Q&A

8. #PromotionsLab
THE 30 TOP-PERFORMING
CONTEST CATEGORIES

9. #PromotionsLab
WEATHER & TEMPERATURE30

10. #PromotionsLab
Weather & Temperature30
WRAL-TV
How Much Will It Snow?
Imperial Valley Press
Staying Cool in the Summer
WLEX-TV
Severe Weather Photo Contest
KPHO-TV
Monsoon Photo Contest
time of year | year-round
sponsors | heating & cooling companies, snow tire retailers, water parks

11. #PromotionsLab
Guess Anchorage’s First Snowfall
KTUU-TV | Anchorage, Alaska
This was such a great contest that we have already confirmed for 2013 with the same
sponsor. I would definitely recommend running a contest like this if your market gets a
lot of snow!” - Tony Freije, Digital Sales Manager
 $7,500 in Revenue
 300% Increase in Advertiser‟s
Facebook Likes
 1,064 Advertiser Opt-ins
 Facebook & Mobile Optimized
“
Weather & Temperature30

12. #PromotionsLab
TRAVEL & VACATION29

13. #PromotionsLab
Travel & Vacation29
The Londoner
Summer Vacation Photo Contest
WPAW-FM
Best Vacation Ever
Bee Publications
Me & My Bee Vacation Photo Contest
U-T San Diego
Greater Palm Springs Travel Photo Contest
time of year | spring, summer
sponsors | travel agencies, camera stores, airlines, tourism bureaus, hotels & resorts

14. #PromotionsLab
Travel & Vacation
Best Summer Ever Photo Contest
WDBJ-TV | Roanoke, Virginia
This contest was a great way to drive traffic to our site, and since the match up
between the contest and the sponsors was a perfect fit the promotion was easy and
fun. Weekly prizes helped build excitement throughout the contest, and sponsors loved
it because it sent people to their events!”- Carissa Divant, Digital Sales Manager
 $3,000 in Revenue
 164 Advertiser
Opt-ins
 250 Deals Opt-ins
“
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15. #PromotionsLab
AWARDS SHOWS28

16. #PromotionsLab
Awards Shows28
WFXK-FM
BET Watch & Win Trivia Contest
KKBQ-FM
CMA Music Festival
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Red Carpet Music Awards
time of year | January & February
sponsors | movie theaters, camera stores, dress shops, video rentals stores or services
Gambit Weekly
Red Carpet Challenge

17. #PromotionsLab
Awards Shows
CMA Awards Lookalike Contest
WHKO-FM | Dayton, Ohio
 434 Registered
Users
 Trip for 2 to the
CMA Awards
28

18. #PromotionsLab
ESSAY27

19. #PromotionsLab
Essay27
Palm Springs Life
My McCallum Theater Moment
CyberInk
Women’s Words of Wisdom on Wellness
The Suburban
Granby Zoo Giveaway
WSMH-TV
Cruise for Hope
time of year | around holidays, graduations, & awareness months
sponsors | travel agencies, universities, banks, grocery stores, utility companies

20. #PromotionsLab
Essay
Oh, What a Night…Dream Dates
Wisconsin State Journal | Madison, Wisconsin
This promotion created a great deal of goodwill. The sponsor got some nice exposure
for a pricey show, and they liked the fun, personal feel of the contest.”
- Chris Juzwik, Social Media & Email Marketing Specialist
 Part of a $60,000 Buy  300 Deal Opt-ins
“
27

21. #PromotionsLab
CODE WORD26

22. #PromotionsLab
Code Word26
The Suburban
Comedy Nest Contest
C&G Newspapers
Spot the Ewe
Langley Times
Get Cruising
KPHW-FM
The Phrase That Pays
time of year | year-round
sponsors | movie theaters, banks, insurance companies, event venues, amusement parks

23. #PromotionsLab
Code Word
Watch & Win
WJAR-TV | Providence, Rhode Island
 1,253 Opt-ins
26

24. #PromotionsLab
BIG GIVEAWAY25

25. #PromotionsLab
Big Giveaway25
Orange County Register
Disneyland Resort Photo Contest
WRAZ-TV
Summer of Free
B98.5-FM
Have a Great Summer
Cash & Billboard Contest
time of year | year-round
sponsors | travel agencies, airlines, car dealerships, resorts & hotels, banks, event venues
The Shopping Channel
Celebrate & Share Giveaway

26. #PromotionsLab
Big Giveaway
Food  Fashion  Fun in the Sun
KSTP-TV | St. Paul, Minnesota
This promotion is valuable to us because it encourages viewer attendance at our
station events, interaction with our website, and ultimately because it helps to grow
TCL Dot Com Deal sales.” - Anna Rusch, Sales Marketing Director
 $70,000 in Revenue
from Sponsored Events
“
25

27. #PromotionsLab
PROM24

28. #PromotionsLab
Prom24
WJET-TV
Prom Promise
Savannah Morning News
Old School Prom
iPowerRichmond
TT Torrex Promathon
WHHL-FM
Prom Makeover Contest
time of year | spring
sponsors | tuxedo rentals, department stores, florists, limo rental services, restaurants, salons

29. #PromotionsLab
Prom
Prom Giveaway
The Westerly Sun | Westerly, Rhode Island
After the contest, we were contacted by viewers asking us to expand the contest and
include their high schools next year. We also hope to use the contest and marketing
materials as a template for our sister newspaper in another state so they can easily
introduce the Prom Giveaway to their market.” - Margaret Fusaro, Marketing & Online Director
 $3,000 in Revenue  625 Entries  17 Participating
Advertisers
“
24

30. #PromotionsLab
CARS & MOTORCYCLES23

31. #PromotionsLab
Cars & Motorcycles23
KISM-FM
Rock Your Ride
Lincoln Journal Star
Driveway Darlings
The Flint Journal
Cyber Car Cruise
WPOR-FM
Trick Out Your Truck
time of year | year-round
sponsors | car & motorcycle dealerships, auto detailing, insurance companies, speedways

32. #PromotionsLab
Cars & Motorcycles
Distinct Detail E-Car Show
KY3-TV | Springfield, Missouri
The advertiser was looking for an opportunity to brand his business on our website
and get direct leads from contest entries. He was very pleased with the results, and
ran another contest with us this year.” - Kent Oglesby, New Media Manager
 $1,500 in
Revenue
 100 Opt-ins
 Mobile Optimized
“
23

33. #PromotionsLab
PATRIOTIC22

34. #PromotionsLab
Patriotic22
The Roanoke Times
What Patriotism Means to Me
U-T San Diego
Patriotic Pet
Rockford Register Star
AirFest 2012 Photography Contest
KAZR-FM
Show Us Your Soldier
time of year | around Memorial Day, 4th of July, & Labor Day
sponsors | restaurants, grocery stores, catering companies, banks, car dealerships

35. #PromotionsLab
Patriotic
Crew the Star-Spangled Banner
WCKX-FM | Columbus, Ohio
This was a custom experiential contest with multiple high-quality entries. The winning
group was AMAZING!” - Tim Hall, Advertising Sales Manager
 $11,000 in
Revenue
 32 Submissions
 440 Registered
Users
“
22

36. #PromotionsLab
SCHOOL SPIRIT & BIGGEST FAN21

37. #PromotionsLab
School Spirit & Biggest Fan21
KidsLinked
School of the Year
WNCY-FM
Prove You’re a Fan for Luke Bryan Tickets
KKRW-FM
KISS Fan Photo Contest
York News-Times
School Spirit Video Contest
time of year | year-round
sponsors | sporting good stores, stadiums, sports teams, universities, outdoor outfitters

38. #PromotionsLab
School Spirit & Biggest Fan
Show Your School Spirit Contest
Greeley Tribune | Greeley, Colorado
The contest helped the sponsor to become more involved with the community and to
help a school, which is exactly what they wanted.” - Cristin Peratt, Advertising & Marketing Consultant
 $14,000 in Revenue  2,176 Opt-ins  6,119 Votes
“
21

39. #PromotionsLab
WEDDING20

40. #PromotionsLab
Wedding20
Nashville Scene
Wedding Games
WBFF-FM
Wedding in a Week
WKBT-TV
The Ultimate Wedding Giveaway
Lincoln Journal Star
Ultimate Wedding Giveaway
time of year | year-round
sponsors | photographers, jewelry stores, bridal stores, venues, catering companies, DJs

41. #PromotionsLab
Wedding
Lake Lanier Islands Dream Wedding
WSB-FM | Atlanta, Georgia
The sponsor had the top 50 couples attend a party at the resort to showcase how
they do weddings. As a result they have booked 10 weddings to date, including one of
the 3 finalists who didn‟t win the dream wedding!”- Sara Rethinger, Media Consultant
 $30,000 in Revenue  Facebook Optimized  More Than 500
Participating Couples
“
20

42. #PromotionsLab
TATTOOS19

43. #PromotionsLab
Tattoos19
State Gazette
Show Off Your Ink Contest
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Check Out My Ink
WNOR-FM
Show Us Your Ink
WJRR-FM
Ink for XMAS
time of year | year-round
sponsors | tattoo parlors, concert venues, art galleries

44. #PromotionsLab
Tattoos
The Morning Moose Tattoo Contest
KAZR-FM | Des Moines, Iowa
We were able to generate some unique marketing for this contest. We put together a
video blog and launched the first week of the contest by showcasing our station‟s
Rock Girl getting a tattoo from Color Works [the sponsor].” - Rob Lembke, Promotions Director
 $1,500 in Revenue  New Client  253 Opt-ins
“
19

45. #PromotionsLab
RECIPES18

46. #PromotionsLab
Recipes18
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
12 Days of Cookies
WNEP-TV
Summer Grilling Contest
Rhode Island Monthly
Ultimate Burger Contest
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest
time of year | year-round, holidays
sponsors | grocery stores, culinary schools, restaurants, cooking shows, bakeries, food stores

47. #PromotionsLab
Recipes
Name Your Cupcake Contest
The Signal | Santa Clarita, California
This was the first time in their 2-year existence that Bake You Happy spent any money
with us. The contest was a huge success. In a very competitive cupcake market
(seriously), the promotion set our client above the rest and branded us as an
innovative online option for local businesses.” - Vince Johnson, Chief Multimedia Officer
 $1,500 in Revenue  224 Opt-ins  Facebook & Mobile
Optimized
“
18

48. #PromotionsLab
BRACKETS17

49. #PromotionsLab
Brackets17
Gambit Weekly
Bar Wars
Waccamaw Publishers
Grand Strand’s Best Band
WEEI-FM
Pizza Topping Bracket Challenge
WKLH-FM
March Baldness
time of year | year-round
sponsors | bars, restaurants, retailers, banks, concert venues, parks & recreational centers

50. #PromotionsLab
Brackets
The Big Dance of Drinks Bracket
St. Louis Post-Dispatch | St. Louis, Missouri
Readers seem to really like the opportunity to play a bracket game if basketball isn‟t
their main field of expertise.” - Elaine Vydra, Digital Marketing Manager
 $1,800 in
Incremental
Revenue
 708
Registered
Users
“
17

51. #PromotionsLab
MEMORABLE MOMENTS16

52. #PromotionsLab
Memorable Moments16
The Guardian
Camping Memories Photo Contest
WKDZ-FM
Favorite Ham Festival Memories
North of Boston Media Group
Fenway Park Fan Photo Contest
KAZR-FM
Rock of Ages Tour 80s Photo Contest
time of year | summer, holidays
sponsors | amusement parks, sports teams, travel agencies, airlines, fairs & festivals

53. #PromotionsLab
Memorable Moments
Scott’s Backyard Barbecue
WROC-TV | Rochester, New York
We‟ve been doing this contest for about 5 years now, and it sells out every year.”
- Don Killion, eMedia Manager
 $10,000 in Revenue
 52 Registered Users
“
16

54. #PromotionsLab
CREATIVE15

55. #PromotionsLab
Creative15
Billings Gazette
Magic City Shorts Film Festival
WTNH-TV
Pink Power PSA Contest
Boys’ Life
Comic Caption Contest
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Build It to Win It Lego Photo Contest
time of year | year-round
sponsors | restaurants, car dealerships, sports teams, hospitals, grocery stores

56. #PromotionsLab
Creative
RVA TV Ad Competition
WWBT-TV | Richmond, Virginia
This contest generated a lot of buzz in the marketing community and resulted in great
participation from the community.” - Eric Lumpkin, Director of Digital Marketing
 $20,000 in
Revenue
 1,270
Registered
Users
“
15

57. #PromotionsLab
NATURE14

58. #PromotionsLab
Nature14
TC Média
Québec en photos
KFVS-TV
Outdoor Challenge
The Colorado Springs Gazette
Quintessential Colorado
The Day
Southeastern Connecticut Calendar Photo Contest
time of year | year-round
sponsors | outdoor retailers, campgrounds, travel agencies, photography studios, art galleries

59. #PromotionsLab
Nature
Fall Photo Contest
Our State | Greensboro, North Carolina
 $3,000 in Revenue
 Over $2,000 in Prizes
 1,612 Submissions
14
Photo contests have been popular for us and people take them very seriously. We like
contests where people are invested in their entry and the outcome. Sweepstakes are great,
but this kind of contest has a different level of engagement.” - Laurie Weaver, Subscriber Development
“

60. #PromotionsLab
FISHING & HUNTING13

61. #PromotionsLab
Fishing & Hunting13
KROR-FM
Show Us Your Rack
WILX-TV
Virtual Buck Pole
Northeast Mississippi
Daily Journal
Big Buck Contest
Pioneer Press
Best Catch Photo Contest
time of year | summer, hunting season
sponsors | sporting good stores, outdoor supply stores, fishing & boating supplies, taxidermy

62. #PromotionsLab
Fishing & Hunting
Show Us Your Whitetail
WQSB-FM | Albertville, Alabama
This contest had good results. We plan to repeat the promotion next year.”
- Ted McCreless, Advertising Sales Manager
 8 Sponsors
 $10,560 in Revenue
 193 Submissions
“
13

63. #PromotionsLab
MAKEOVER12

64. #PromotionsLab
Makeover12
WSNY-FM
Scariest Bathroom Contest
Red Deer Advocate
Chaotic Room Contest
Carroll County Times
Worst Kitchen Photo Contest
The Day
Child’s Dream Room Makeover
time of year | year-round
sponsors | remodeling & landscaping companies, salons, auto detailing, clothing retailers

65. #PromotionsLab
Makeover
Win Your Own Man Cave
The Day | New London, Connecticut
This contest led to great exposure for the sponsors, and also showed off a type of
room that was a new market for all of them.”
 $12,000 in
Revenue
 614 Opt-ins
“
12

66. #PromotionsLab
HOLIDAY11

67. #PromotionsLab
Holiday11
Herald Tribune
Top o’ the Limerick Contest
Star-Herald
Luck of the Irish
U-T San Diego
Scared of Santa Photo Contest
WSPY-FM
The Best Christmas Spirit Photo Contest
time of year | fall & winter, or around other holidays
sponsors | restaurants, theaters, craft stores, bars, grocery stores, catering companies

68. #PromotionsLab
Holiday
Holiday Lights Contest
The Signal | Santa Clarita, California
After promoting this contest, we got a call from the Travel Channel asking if they could
feature our contest on one of their Christmas specials. They followed us on our
„Holiday Lights‟ tour, when we travel to participating houses and neighborhoods and
spend time with community members.” - Vince Johnson, Chief Multimedia Officer
 $600 in Revenue  472 Opt-ins  Facebook & Mobile
Optimized
“
11

69. #PromotionsLab
ADVERTISER CONTESTS10

70. #PromotionsLab
Advertiser Contests10
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Bommarito Automotive Group
KOAA-TV
Timberview Animal Hospital Giveaway
ABC 15
Fort McDowell
Casino Giveaway
Herald-Times
Max’s Place Giveaway
time of year | year-round
sponsors | local advertisers with a Facebook page

71. #PromotionsLab
Spring into Prizes
Quad-City Times | Davenport, Iowa
The goal of this contest was to grow local businesses‟ Facebook fans and email lists
via a group contest that would be more affordable for the advertisers.”
- Tim d‟Avis, Digital Director
 $14,000 in Revenue
 8 Unique Advertiser
Contests
 Run on Facebook
with a Like-gate
 157 – 341 New
Facebook Likes per
Advertiser
“
Advertiser Contests10

72. #PromotionsLab
HALLOWEEN9

73. #PromotionsLab
Halloween9
KFVS-TV
Halloween Photo Contest
Baton Rouge Parents Magazine
Halloween Photo Contest
Herald & Review
Pumpkin Carving Contest
time of year | October
sponsors | costume stores, candy stores, haunted houses, theaters, pet stores
Press of Atlantic City
Halloween Pet Costume Contest

74. #PromotionsLab
Halloween9
Cutest Costume Contest
Daily Advocate | Greenville, Ohio
Contests like this really push friends and families to step up and register to vote. Each
year the contest participation has grown and sponsors are eager to get on board, so
we must be doing something right!” - Clinton Randall, Webmaster
 1,536 Registered Users
 $500 Prize Package
 Facebook & Mobile Optimized
“

75. #PromotionsLab
GOODWILL8

76. #PromotionsLab
Goodwill8
WPRS-FM
First Ladies Tea Awards
KBTX-TV
Caldwell Country Cares
Lincoln Journal Star
Best Nurses in Nebraska
time of year | year-round
sponsors | charities, non-profits, credit unions, schools, hospitals
WSFR-FM
Ultimate Teacher’s Lounge

77. #PromotionsLab
Goodwill8
Say NO to Bullying Student Contest
EnergizeStudents.org
I have emails from students thanking Energize Students for the opportunity to raise
nationwide awareness about bullying. This contest gave us the opportunity to share
our message with thousands of registered users.” - Katie Nation, Director of Programs & Outreach
 2,505 Total Opt-ins  44 Submissions  1,299 Registered Users
“

78. #PromotionsLab
MOTHER’S & FATHER’S DAY7

79. #PromotionsLab
Mother‟s Day & Father‟s Day7
WKRG-TV
Mother’s Day Photo Contest
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Mother – Daughter Lookalike Contest
Bradenton Herald
Father’s Day Photo Contest
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Father – Son Lookalike Contest
time of year | April, May, and June
sponsors | kid-friendly restaurants, photographers, day care centers, parks & rec centers

80. #PromotionsLab
Mother‟s Day & Father‟s Day7
Mother’s Day Photo Contest
The Roanoke Times | Roanoke, Virginia
 $3,500 in Revenue
 $1,500 in Prizes
 28,000 Votes
 230,000 Pageviews

81. #PromotionsLab
PETS6

82. #PromotionsLab
Pets6
WLMG-FM
Puppy Love
The Suburban
Prize Pooch Dog Contest
Pantagraph
Cutest Pets Photo Contest
time of year | year-round
sponsors | pet stores, vet clinics, pet boarding facilities, obedience schools, grooming salons
St. Louis
Post-Dispatch
Fourth Annual
Cutest Pet Contest

83. #PromotionsLab
Pets6
Cutest Pet Photo Contest
U-T San Diego | San Diego, California
The Cutest Pet Photo Contest successfully brought together our audience‟s love for
cute pet photos, a key sponsor‟s love for dogs, and a brand-new print special section
focused on pets.” - Jennifer Balanky, Content & Community Manager
 $30,000 in Revenue
 2,592 U-T Opt-ins
 299 Advertiser Opt-ins
 734 Entries
“

84. #PromotionsLab
TALENT5

85. #PromotionsLab
Talent5
WENZ-FM
Home Jamz
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Oh Say! Can You Sing?
WBEE-FM
Sing Like Carrie Underwood
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
High School Lip Dub
time of year | year-round
sponsors | concert venues, music stores, art galleries, music festivals, performing arts schools

86. #PromotionsLab
Talent5
The FOX 50 Lip Dub Project
WRAZ-TV | Durham, North Carolina
We really want to tap into the local creative community, create teamwork between
students and teachers, and make money in the process. It‟s a lot of work, but a lot of
fun at the same time!” - Kevin Kolbe, Creative Services Director
 Over $200,000 in Revenue
 3rd Annual Contest
 44 School Entries
 Over 2.2 MILLION votes
“

87. #PromotionsLab
COUPLES4

88. #PromotionsLab
Couples4
Killeen Daily Herald
Cutest Couple Photo Contest
Bellingham Herald
Cutest Couple Contest
XL 106.7-FM
Orlando’s Ultimate Couple
Palm Beach Post
Cutest Couple Photo Contest
time of year | February, around Valentine‟s Day
sponsors | jewelry stores, hotels, candy shops, restaurants, florists, photographers, wineries

89. #PromotionsLab
Couples4
2013 Cutest Couple Contest
The Signal | Santa Clarita, California
This contest helped us start a relationship with a key player in our community that
wasn‟t interested in „traditional‟ local advertising. Since the contest, our partnership
with the mall has continued to grow.” - Vince Johnson, Chief Multimedia Officer
 $2,000 in Revenue  70,000 Votes  1,415 Opt-ins
“

90. #PromotionsLab
SWEEPSTAKES3

91. #PromotionsLab
Sweepstakes3
WSAZ-TV
Umbrella Contest
The Shopping Channel
Welcome Home Daily Giveaway
Toronto Sun
Sun Wants to Brighten Your Day $1,000 Giveaway
time of year | year-round
sponsors | car dealerships, banks, lotteries, grocery stores, electronics stores, concert venues
WERQ-FM
I am Beyoncé Ticket Giveaway

92. #PromotionsLab
Sweepstakes3
This contest had amazing results in terms of online entries – over 57,000 submissions
in 8 weeks! It shows how much our readers love to engage with the newspaper and
how many are willing to pick it up to enter a contest.” - Christina Chan, Sales Promotion Supervisor
 57,359 Entries
 32,691 Opt-ins
 27,591 Advertiser Opt-ins
“
Porter Escapes
Toronto Sun | Toronto, Ontario

93. #PromotionsLab
CUSTOM SPORTS2

94. #PromotionsLab
Custom Sports2
time of year | year-round, season by season
sponsors | sporting good stores, restaurants, bars, rec centers, gyms, local businesses
WSOC-TV
High School Football Extra
Westerly Sun
Vote for Your MVP
Pantagraph
Meathead of the Month
KKBQ-FM
Gridiron Invasion

95. #PromotionsLab
Custom Sports2
High School Player of the Week
WQSB-FM | Albertville, Alabama
 $1,330 in Revenue

96. #PromotionsLab
KIDS & BABIES1

97. #PromotionsLab
Kids & Babies1
time of year | year-round
sponsors | children‟s retail | daycare | toy stores | pediatricians | banks | jewelry stores
WWKX-FM
Rhode Island’s Cutest Baby Contest
WMEE-FM
Most Beautiful Baby Contest
The Savannah Morning News
My Insanely Cute Preschooler
BlackDoctor.org
My Baby Rocks the Cutest Smile

98. #PromotionsLab
Kids & Babies1
Cutest Baby Contest
Canton Repository | Canton, Ohio
The sponsors loved the amount of exposure they received through our abundant
promotional efforts and the ad space they received as part of the promotion.”
- Maureen Ater, Marketing Executive
 $16,500
 Facebook Optimized
“

99. #PromotionsLab
BONUS IDEAS
*

100. #PromotionsLab
Bonus Ideas
Story or Photo of the Year
St. Louis Post-Dispatch | Photos of the Year
Graduation
WTMT-FM | Celebrate Your Grad
Lifestyle
OrangeCounty.com | Wipeout of the Year
*
Hometown Pride
Rhode Island Monthly | I Love Rhode Island