Take your best shot! The Village of Lake in the Hills has launched its photo contest for the summer of 2026. This year's theme is "Parks & Rec: 30 Years of Growing Smiles" to recognize the big anniversary of our Parks and Recreation Department that debuted in 1996.

Select photographs will be featured on the Lake in the Hills website and in various Village publications. The contest is open to Lake in the Hills residents and non-residents.

The photo with the highest number of votes will be declared the winning entrant and will receive a gift card to a Lake in the Hills business. The winner will be notified via email as soon as the judging is complete. The deadline to submit photos for the contest is Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

Contest Information

Entry & Submissions

Photos may be submitted by completing the online entry form below and uploading a photo. Limit of 3 submissions per entrant. Please use one entry form for each photo submitted. Entrants must be the sole author and owner of the image. Subjects in the image must be residents in the 60156 ZIP code. Photographers submitting photos showing children's faces must obtain parental consent in advance. All submissions become the property of the Village of Lake in the Hills.

Photo/Media Requirements

• Only images in digital format accepted.
• Submissions may be color or black and white.
• Photos may be printed and electronically displayed publicly by the Village. While high-resolution is preferred, we welcome all submissions that are clear and visually engaging. 
• Submissions must be photos taken in 2026 within Lake in the Hills boundaries.
• Submissions must not have been altered in any way other than cropping and minor retouching. Photo entries with imagery added or removed from the original photo will not be accepted. 

Suggested Activities to Photograph

There are so many summer opportunities to visually capture great Parks & Rec moments! In addition to the daily fun happening at our 34 parks, check out our Summer Activity Guide at recreation.lith.org for more possibilities.

Voting Information

Photos will be uploaded to the Village website where votes are cast via an electronic survey. Additionally, photos will be posted to an album on the Village's Facebook page where individuals may "Like" an image to cast their vote. Voting will be open for two weeks after the post date. Votes from all mediums will be tallied. The eligible photo with the highest number of votes will be declared the contest winner.

Online Entry Form: