Design contests
Cullman Oktoberfest T-Shirt & Poster Design Contests
The look of Cullman Oktoberfest comes from our community, year after year. We're inviting you to help create it this year.
T-Shirt Design Contest
Design the shirt thousands of people will wear around Cullman this fall. We're looking for artwork that captures the spirit of Oktoberfest — heritage, community, a little bit of fun — and prints clean on a full shirt back.
- Open to anyone in Cullman County and the surrounding area
- Free to enter, up to 2 designs per person
- Must include "Cullman Oktoberfest 2026" somewhere in the design
- Winner gets free shirts of their design for their family (up to 5), a framed print of the winning poster, $150 in food & drink tokens, free shirts for their family (up to 5), and HBH Family Passes (up to 5)
- Entries close July 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Poster Design Contest
This is the poster that goes up around town, gets shared online, and tells people Oktoberfest is coming. If you've got an eye for bold, eye-catching artwork, we want to see it.
- Open to anyone in Cullman County and the surrounding area
- Free to enter, up to 2 designs per person
- Must include "Cullman Oktoberfest 2026" somewhere in the design
- Winner gets a framed print of their design, $150 in food & drink tokens, free shirts for their family (up to 5), and HBH Family Passes (up to 5)
- Entries close July 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Official Contest Rules
Who can enter?
Anyone living in Cullman County or the surrounding area. If you're under 18, you'll need a parent or guardian's okay to enter. Immediate family of Oktoberfest committee or marketing team members can't enter, so judging stays fair for everyone.
Does it need to be original?
Yes — 100% your own work, never published, sold, or entered somewhere else before. No copyrighted logos, characters, or artwork that isn't yours. And no AI-generated art (Midjourney, DALL·E, Firefly, Canva AI, etc.) — regular design software like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Procreate is totally fine, we just want the artwork itself to come from you.
What does the design need to include?
The words "Cullman Oktoberfest 2026," somewhere in the artwork. Beyond that, we want to see the spirit of Oktoberfest — heritage, community, celebration — in a design that's family-friendly and ready to print.
File Specs: Poster
18" × 24", 300 DPI, CMYK color.
File Specs: Shirt
Full back print (up to about 12" × 16"), with an optional front pocket accent (up to 4" × 4"). 300 DPI, CMYK, and ideally 6 colors or fewer since these get screen printed. You'll pick your placement on the entry form.
How do I submit?
Free to enter, up to 2 designs per person per category. Accepted formats: PDF, PNG, JPG, AI, EPS, or SVG — hand-drawn art is welcome too, just send a good scan or photo. Include your contact info and a short description with your entry. Entries close July 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
How is it judged, and what do I win?
Our Oktoberfest committee and marketing team judge every entry on creativity, how well it represents Oktoberfest, artistic quality, and how well it'll print. One winner is picked for Shirt and one for Poster. Each winner gets a framed print of their design, $150 in food & drink tokens, free shirts for their family (up to 5), and HBH Family Passes (up to 5). Winning designs may show up on official shirts, posters, merchandise, the website, and social media.
Questions?
Email info@cullmanrecreation.org.
