PITTSBURG, Kan. — To gear up for the annual Paint the Town Red event in August, the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce is inviting community members to submit their designs for the Paint the Town Red t-shirt contest.

The Chamber has selected this year’s theme as "Gus Through the Decades," in honor of Pittsburg’s 150th anniversary. The deadline for design submissions is by midnight, July 16.

“I think it'll be really interesting to see the different perspectives people bring to this year's “Gus Through the Decades” theme,” Director of Marketing, Communications, and Digital Media Liz Kohlmeier said in an email. “With 2026 marking Pittsburg's 150th birthday, there are so many directions participants can take and so many opportunities to be creative. I'd love to see designs that showcase what makes Pittsburg special, its history, its growth through the decades, and the moments that have shaped our community over the last 150 years.”

Community members can submit up to two designs but they must be sent separately. AI-generated artwork will not be accepted. The design will be printed on a red shirt with white ink. There is also an option for a two-color design, using white and black ink. Each design must feature the Paint the Town Red logo on the front of the t-shirt. The logo can be found at pittsburgareachamber.com/.

Both the winner and winning design will be recognized at the Paint the Town Red Downtown Community Pep Rally from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26.

“I also think “Gus Through the Decades” is such a fun theme,” Kohlmeier said in an email. “Whether someone chooses a single era or incorporates multiple decades, there are endless ways to tell Pittsburg's story. With the first home football game being Code Red and the official Paint the Town Red shirts being red, we're excited that the winning design will become something the entire community can wear together as we fill the stadium and celebrate both Gorilla pride and Pittsburg's 150th birthday. Every year I'm blown away by the creativity and talent behind the submissions, and I can't wait to see what this year's artists create for this special year!”

Designs must be submitted to Kohlmeier at lkohlmeier@pittsburgareachamber.com along with the submission form. The form and additional contest information can be accessed at pittsburgareachamber.com/pttr.

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.