AUSTIN— Point, focus, shoot! In honor of its 100-year birthday celebration, Texas State Parks is hosting a photo contest throughout 2023 with the chance to win park passes, H-E-B gift cards and even a curated state park experience.

The contest will have four seasonal prize winners before the public votes on the grand prize winner at the end of the year.

“We can’t wait to see the parks through our visitors’ eyes,” said Whitney Bishop, social media coordinator for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).  “There are so many special moments to capture, from watching a beautiful sunset to catching your first fish. This contest is about more than taking pictures. It’s about making memories.”

The contest kicked off this month with the theme of “New Year, New Adventure” and will offer a new theme every season.  A panel of TPWD judges will select quarterly winners who will each receive a Texas State Parks Pass valued at $70 and a $100 H-E-B gift card donated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF).

Voting for the grand prize winner begins in December. The lucky winner will receive a Texas State Parks Pass, a $500 H-E-B gift card donated by TPWF and a VIP-curated experience at a Texas State Park.

All entries must be taken at a Texas State Park or Natural Area and uploaded to the Texas State Parks Photo Contest website or tagged on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #TexasStateParks and #TexasParks100, between Jan. 1 and Nov. 27.  Note that an individual’s social media account privacy settings may affect entries.

Participants may submit multiple entries. For details about the contest, including a link to the contest rules and a gallery of entries, visit  the Texas State Parks Photo Contest website.

For more information on the Centennial Celebration (including other upcoming community events), the history of Texas State Parks and how to make a day visit or overnight reservation, visit the Texas State Parks 100 Years website at TexasStateParks.org/100years.

Additional media resources for the Centennial Celebration can be found on the TPWD website.