Portola Valley committee finalizes logistics for spring photo contest

The Portola Valley Cultural Arts Committee on April 14 confirmed final logistics for its spring photo contest, including where prints will be displayed, volunteer coverage for opening night and a plan to run in-person voting through Sunday.

Committee member Stacy said the contest drew about "60 to 65 entries" and that about "90% of them" have been printed, though some low-resolution files require follow-up. She said confusion over town-owned display walls led the group to secure a verbal agreement to use the PBTC lobby walls so the exhibit will have a location by Friday.

The committee scheduled a walkthrough and key pickup appointment with town staff on Thursday so members can photograph the space, clarify expectations for returning the facility and avoid miscommunications during the high-traffic event. "It's very important that we do a walkthrough where we understand what the expectation is — how we should return the facility," the chair said, urging as many members as can attend to participate.

Volunteers signed up to help with setup Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and to staff the voting table on opening night from 5 to 7 p.m. Members agreed voting will be collected in person through Sunday and tallied either on paper or through a Google form; a rubric will guide category winners. "I'll come up with a rubric," Stacy said, describing a system in which visitors enter the number associated with their favorite photo in each category.

On refreshments, a committee member reported a $200 food and beverage budget and cautioned members to be realistic about what that will cover at Costco; later discussion noted about $50 might be available in addition, bringing discussed funds for refreshment/prize needs to approximately $250. The committee encouraged potluck contributions and said it will post event details to local forums to boost attendance.

Prize options discussed ranged from gift cards from a local florist (identified in the discussion as Lera) and local retailers (Mike's Camera, Dutch Goose, Cheeky Monkey) to more general options such as Amazon cards, particularly for older youth entrants. The chair said prize funding has been allocated in the committee budget and volunteers will finalize winners and notifications after voting closes Sunday.

The contest's opening-night program will be brief: doors open at 5 p.m., committee remarks around 6 p.m. and light background music from either a student volunteer, invited musician or a backup playlist. Committee members said they will post winners to the town website and notify entrants who agreed to be contacted by email.

Next steps: the committee will complete the Thursday walkthrough, finalize volunteers for Saturday coverage, print remaining low-resolution submissions if higher-resolution files are provided, and post event logistics to community channels.