(Boone, NC) – Voting will open Friday, March 4 at 7:00 pm for the 8th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition People’s Choice Award. 44 finalist images are now on display through June 4 at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on the Campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

A panel of jurors selected the images for exhibition from among all submissions and will soon return for the final round of judging to select category winners, bestow special mention honors, and select one image as best in show. Cast your vote for the coveted People’s Choice Award via a kiosk at the exhibition or online at www.appmtnphotocomp.org. Voting closes at 5pm on Friday, April 1. The winner receives a $350 cash award furnished by Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitter in Boone and Blowing Rock.

Outdoor Programs promoted the first Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition in 2004. “Our mission is to promote discovery through human-powered adventure and photography is an active process of discovery. By promoting photography, we are encouraging people to go out and engage with the world around them,” said Andrew Miller, Coordinator with Outdoor Programs.

In the years since the first competition, Outdoor Programs has partnered with the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation in offering the AMPC. “We really appreciate the support of our community partners and sponsors. The level of enthusiasm they bring really allows us to make the AMPC one of the top photography exhibitions in the region,” said Miller. The 8th Annual AMPC is sponsored by VirtualBlueRidge.com, the premier Blue Ridge Parkway online resource with support from Peabody’s Beer and Wine Merchants; Bistro Roca Casual Fine Dining; Mast General Store; Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters; Appalachian Voices; and Smoky Mountain Living magazine.

Proceeds from the Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are used to subsidize Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE) at Appalachian State University. SOLE trips are 21-55 day active educational adventures of discovery. Outdoor Programs partners with academic departments and the Office of International Programs to provide students with unique international and domestic adventure travel opportunities that are life changing experiences. Students spend extended time exploring rugged and remote wilderness and become immersed in new and exciting cultures all while gaining academic credit. To learn more about the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition, its organizers and sponsors visit the Turchin Center or go online at www.appmtnphotocomp.org.

About Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition:
The AMPC is a partnership between Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs, The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. AMPC is made possible through the sponsorship of Virtual Blue Ridge, the premier online resource for the Blue Ridge Parkway and the generous support of Appalachian Voices;  Bistro Roca, Inventive American Cuisine; Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters; Mast General Stores; Peabody’s Wine and Beer Merchants; For more information about this photography competition, please visit www.appmtnphotocomp.org, or call Outdoor Programs at 828.262.4954.

For press & media resource information, please visit:
https://www.virtualblueridge.com/contests/app-mtn-2008/media-and-press/

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Take your own amazing Parkway photos! Whether it’s the wildlife you’re interested in or the spectactular vistas, learn to take pictures like the pros! Visit the Virtual Blue Ridge Bookstore for books on photography and more!