SULLIVAN Catskills - As shoppers and sightseers travel the roads of the Sullivan Catskills this Holiday Season, they will be greeted by Doves almost everywhere they go.

“Many of our dove trail partners have been busy decorating their 5' by 7' birds in time for the holidays and we would love nothing more than for our visitors to visit them and send us their photos,” Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association (SCVA) President and CEO Roberta Byron-Lockwood said.

The “Dove Holiday Happiness” contest will run from today, December 13 through January 31. Contestants may take their photo with any dove on the Catskills Dove Trail and send it to doves@sc-democrat.com and then post your photo using #sullivancatskillsdovetrail on your social media (FB or Instagram) to enter—you must submit both (email and one social media posting) to qualify.

*See Contest Rules at end of this article.

Special consideration will be given to contestants who are:

• creative (think out-of-the-box)

• incorporate the spirit of the Holiday Season

• include the Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association logo in their photo

Winners of the contest will receive ‘swag' bags, compliments of the SCVA as well as gifts compliments of the Sullivan County Democrat newspaper.

“We would love to see what our faithful shoppers and visitors are doing out there this Holiday season and can't wait to see their photos,” Byron-Lockwood said. “We also want to encourage our Dove photo contestants to buy local this Holiday Season. Many of our businesses will be offering holiday specials and gift certificates.”

Fred Stabbert III, publisher of the Sullivan County Democrat, said, “We had so much fun with our summer contest we wanted to give our readers a reason to visit these doves and enjoy a great day of shopping and sightseeing in Sullivan County.”

The Catskill Dove Trail was inspired by the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock, which was celebrated this past summer, with the support of Sullivan Renaissance and Sullivan County.

“It was a tremendous success and a great way to celebrate one of the true historic moments in Sullivan County history - Woodstock,” Byron-Lockwood said. “Our dove partners have been tremendous in helping us publicize these works of art and we would like to return the favor by getting as many people to see their Holiday costumes as possible.”

The Dove trail brought almost $1.5 million of direct and indirect tourism spending into the local economy: visitors returned multiple times to complete the trail, ate at local restaurants, stayed in our hotels, inns and B&Bs and shopped on our main streets; the project also employed over 50 artists, landscapers and masons.

Please visit the SCVA's Holiday Happiness blog at www.sullivancatskills to find out local Holiday events and specials.

Keep an eye out for more Doves in 2020! We will be adding 10 more to our flock. Please contact Lori at ljs@scva.net or 845-747-4449 on how you can own one and be part of the Dove Trail which has gained global attention and provided an economic impact of $1.5 million to the Sullivan Catskills

The complete list of Doves can be found on the SCVA website, sullivancatskills. com under ‘About,' ‘Visitors Guide and Brochures' ‘Dove Trail Map.'

*Contest Rules:

• All submitted photos will be property of the Sullivan County Democrat and the SCVA.

• Photo submission automatically gives the Democrat and SCVA permission to use photos on the internet and for print.

• List names of ALL individuals in photos.

• Provide contact phone and address in email submission to doves@sc-democrat.com.

• No more than three photo submissions allowed per person.

• Employees and family of the Sullivan County Democrat and Sullivan Catskills Visitors Assn. are not eligible to enter.