Wander Manassas250
Photo Contest Is Now Open!
The inaugural Wander Manassas250 photo contest is now open for your submissions from now through June 20, 2026 at 11:59pm. Winners announced July 4, 2026 at Celebrate America event in Downtown Manassas.
All FREE entries support the theme: “Outdoor in Nature and Discover History,” during America250 Birthday, Manassas250, BeeCityUSA, and TreeCityUSA.
Presented by the Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival, a nonprofit supporting pollinators, wildlife, historic landscapes, and people thriving in the future.
Amateur and professional photographers are encouraged to share their best digital images, with no time limit, of wildlife, historic scenes, and landscapes, only taken within the boundaries of the City of Manassas. Plus a Youth category 13-17 age. Good luck!
ENTER THE PHOTO CONTEST TODAY!
We welcome up to three (3) outdoor submissions per person per category:
CATEGORIES of images in the City of Manassas:
1. Nature: Birds, Wild Animals, Wild Mammals, Insects, Other Wildlife (reptiles, insects), Landscapes and Plants. Consenting people in nature.
2. History: Specifically outdoor images telling the story of the City of Manassas. Images of buildings, landscapes, and items. Consenting people discovering the history of the City.
3. Youth category: 13-17 years old. Wander Manassas City to submit your favorite three shots for each category! See below for more details.
Images that combine nature and history in one image can be submitted in each category.
Submit your maximum three (3) original images by email to ManassasBeeFestival@gmail.com OR submitted on the shared link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MY61C1QLrmi94cE8aVZKVvP0WM8BqkOc?usp=sharing
Key Submission Criteria (All Cameras Allowed including Smartphones):
- Format/Size: Digital files only (High quality .jpg or.png).
- File Requirements: Under 10-11 MB per photo preferred, with 1500–3000 pixels on the longest side preferred. Maximum 50 MB per image.
- Ethical Standards: Images must not harm wildlife or their environment. The use of live bait, or capturing predators with bait, is prohibited.
- Captive Animals: If taken at a place or rehabilitation center, the image must be clearly labeled as “captive”. Focus is on wild animals in natural habitats. No domestic animals or pets.
- Editing: No Ai images. No erasing of images. Minor adjustments (cropping, color correction) are allowed, but heavy manipulation is not.
- Caption/Metadata: Submitters should provide the story behind the shot, including species, location, and camera settings (if available).
- Resolution: Aim for 300 DPI (dots per inch) for high-quality.
Color Space: sRGB or RGB.
In the email or shared link, include the following information in document format for each image:
. Photographer’s name, cell, and residence
. Date, address or place taken ONLY in the City of Manassas
. Image description, title, and category.
. Include on each image file:
LastName_FirstName_Title_(Image Number).jpg
. Submit signed image releases, if people are in photo
. Young Photographers ages 13 to 17 will be judged as students and must also include age and consent statement from parent
First place for each of the two categories (Nature and History) receives $250. Second place wins $125. Winners will be announced in a press release, featured at the July 4th, Celebrate America! event in Historic Downtown Manassas, on our social media channels, and published in print and exhibited. Photo contest entrants are also eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Anyone 13 years of age or older can get in on the fun and vote!
Photo contest judges entries based on five core criteria:
originality, technical excellence, composition, artistic merit, and overall impact. Images should showcase unique perspectives, proper camera settings (focus, exposure), and high-quality artistic composition. Significant digital manipulation is prohibited.
Key Judging Criteria & Guidelines:
- Originality: Unique perspectives, behaviors, or rare lighting situations are highly valued.
- Technical Excellence: Sharp focus, proper exposure, and good lighting.
- Composition: Effective use of, balance, color, and framing.
- Artistic Merit & Impact: How well the image evokes emotion, and showcases the beauty of nature and the story of history.
- Ethics & Subject Matter: Images of wildlife in their natural habitat are preferred.
- Editing Rules: Basic adjustments like cropping, color correction, and contrast are allowed, but adding or removing significant elements is not.
Judges are creatives, historians, naturalists, master gardeners, conservation biologists, educators, and community members of the City of Manassas.
Photographer Rights Statement
Wander Manassas250 Nature & Outdoor History Photo Contest
Sponsored by The Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival (FMBF)
Copyright & Ownership
Entrants retain full copyright and ownership of all submitted photographs.
Submission to the contest does not transfer ownership of the image to FMBF, the City of Manassas, or any sponsor.
License to Use
By entering the contest, photographers grant FMBF and the City of Manassas a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to:
• Display submitted images at The Great Manassas Campout, Manassas Bee Festival, Celebrate America
• Include images in presentations to City Council
• Use images in promotional, educational, tourism, and community materials
• Share images on websites and social media platforms
• Reproduce images in print or digital marketing related to the contest
All uses will include photographer credit whenever reasonably possible.
This license is non-exclusive, meaning photographers may continue to use, license, sell, or publish their images elsewhere.
Images will not be sold to third parties or used for unrelated commercial purposes without additional written permission from the photographer.
Contact: Text 571-247-6729 Theresa Coates Ellis, Patron Council Member and Founder Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival .
Friends of the 6th Manassas Bee Festival 6/20/26 and Great Manassas Campout 5/2 to 5/3 and Wander Manassas250 Photo Contest until 6/20 