Enter the Friends of Blackwater NWR 2026 Photo Contest

The Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Cambridge, Maryland, is hosting a digital photo contest from May 1 to May 29, 2026, to showcase Blackwater NWR and raise funds for Refuge projects. Adult and youth participants are invited to submit photos taken between January 1, 2025 and May 29, 2026, in Refuge areas open to the public, which includes the Wildlife Drive, Marsh Edge Trail, Woods Trail, Tubman Road Trail, paddling trails, the Visitor Center butterfly garden, and Refuge property along Maple Dam Road. Youth can enter for free. The submission deadline is May 29, 2026.

Delmarva photographers Josh Galicki, Lisa Mayo and Scott Warner will judge digital submissions for the contest. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will receive monetary awards and will be invited to exhibit framed prints of the winning submissions at the Blackwater NWR Visitor Center. Participants can visit the Friends’ website for contest details. 

The Friends of Blackwater is a nonprofit citizen’s support group founded in 1987, assisting Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland, to carry out its educational, interpretive, and public use missions. The Friends of Blackwater are part of the larger network of almost 200 Friends groups that support the National Wildlife Refuge System around the country.