BATH — The Bath-Tsugaru, Japan Sister City Exchange Program is sponsoring a Japanese Celebration Weekend with activities for children and adults, Feb. 2 to 5. As part of this event, The Exchange Program is sponsoring a poster design contest open to students in grades 6 to 12. The purpose of the poster is to advertise the Japanese Celebration weekend. The winner of the design contest will be awarded a $50 Gift of Bath certificate good at more than 70 Bath stores and restaurants; free admission to all Japanese Weekend events; and public acknowledgment.

Designs must be original work, and cannot include any copyrighted characters or designs. The design should measure 8 1/2 by 11 inches, with no writing. The winning design will be the visual focal point of a larger poster advertising details of the weekend events.

The entries will be judged on visual impact, clarity to the observer, relevance to the Japanese theme, and originality. Weekend events will include a family carnival, Japanese dinner, Bowdoin College Taiko Drumming Group, Japanese films, Starlight Cafe benefit breakfast, celebrity sumo wrestling, a book discussion, Haiku writing, and more.

Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, Dec. 31, or hand-delivered to the superintendent’s office by Jan. 3. Send to Japanese Poster c/o Cindy Matthews, Bath-Tsugaru coordinator, Superintendent’s Office, RSU 1, 39 Andrews Road, Bath, ME 04530. For contest information, visit http://bath-tsugaru.org.