We want the stories of your park and recreation agency and community to be highlighted on the cover and in the pages of Parks & Recreation magazine! We are accepting photo submissions now through March 31 for our Park and Recreation Month cover contest. The winner will be featured on the cover of the July issue in celebration of Park and Recreation Month.
With this year’s theme, “Where Community Grows” we’re seeking photos that convey how you and your agency contribute to a growing, thriving community. When considering the photos you want to submit, please remember that the story is just as important as the photo itself, as we will highlight the story behind the winning photo in the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine and on an episode of Open Space Radio.
When submitting your photos, please give a brief description of why this photo supports this year’s theme.
Entries are accepted now through Friday, March 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.* One winning photo/story will be selected by a panel of judges and the winning applicants will be notified by Monday, April 17, 2023.
Submit Your Photos
A few things to consider:
- Submit a photo that includes people, if possible.
- Submissions must be high-resolution (at a minimum of 300 dpi) and at least 9.25 inches wide (W) by 11 inches tall (H) OR 2775 pixels (W) x 3300 pixels (H).
- Consider how the Parks & Recreation magazine logo will fit over your photo.
- Review past Parks & Recreation magazine covers for inspiration and guidance.
- To learn more about photographing your event/park, check out this article from the May 2021 issue of Parks & Recreation magazine.
Submit Your Photos
2022 Winner
Congratulations to Adam Waltz of City of Phoenix, Arizona, for submitting the winning photo for the 2022 Park and Recreation Month cover contest! Learn more about the story behind the photo (pictured above), which was taken at the tribal dedication of the Ocotillo Ramada at Phoenix's Piestewa Peak, in the July 2022 issue of Parks & Recreation magazine and on the July 2022 bonus episode of Open Space Radio.
Read the Article Listen to the Episode
*By submitting images, you are confirming that you have all legal rights to the image, consent of those pictured in the image and understand that submitted images may be used by NRPA and our sponsors in printed materials, websites and on social media.
NRPA offers no compensation for any images or videos.
Images will be selected based on uniqueness and appropriateness. Not all images submitted will be used.
Due to editorial changes, NRPA reserves the right to change the topic of the July 2023 cover photo and not use a submitted image as the cover.
Park and Recreation Month is Sponsored by:

