Rustica Pizza Vino is hosting its second annual pizza box decorating contest this month.
Community members are challenged to get creative and make a unique pizza box design for their chance to win $500.
“We did this last year when we went into lockdown after Christmas (as) just a fun way and an inexpensive way for people to do something at home,” said restaurant owner Jenna Clarke.
There is no charge to participate and people of all ages can pick up a pizza box from the downtown eatery during business hours and design it however they would like.
“It doesn’t have to be anything to do with Rustica, you just decorate the box and submit it. Then, the staff will pick the top 10 and the public will vote on them on Facebook and Instagram,” Clarke explained.
“We are in lockdown and stuck doing take-out too, so it’s equally as fun for us to see the boxes as I’m sure it is for the artists who make them.”
The winner of the contest will get $300 cash, and an additional $200 to a local charity of choice. For the kid’s category, the winner will get $25 for themselves and $25 for their favourite charity.
“It just helps people think with their hearts a little bit during this time when charities can use the support through COVID,” Clarke said.
Clarke encourages locals to decorate pizza boxes as a family event.
“You can pick up a box for each member of your family and do it as a family activity. Everybody who submits a box gets a coupon for a free pizza,” she said.
Clarke says the submissions they have received so far have already blown them away.
“We have so many people here in Orillia who have a ton of artistic talent, more than I could have even imagined,” Clarke said.
“I can’t understand how people make a pizza box look so good. Last year we had people using markers, pens, paint, felt, vintage clothing cut up and used, and some people do a digital design," she explained.
Last year, Rustica received more than 60 submissions. Submissions for this year's contest are due by Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.
