Grand Prize Winners Announced

More than 1,500 votes were cast in Star News Group’s second Spooktacular Halloween Photo Contest, and the winners were clear.

For the second year in a row, Hannah Whitcomb, 8, of Spring Lake, won the children’s category, with 48 percent of the vote.

Hannah’s innovative gnome costume captured 132 of the 275 votes cast in the children’s category. The photo of Hannah dressed in her costume, submitted by Hannah’s mother, Kerry Whitcomb, earned Hannah a $50 gift certificate to Quinderella’s Toys, in Manasquan.

A dynamic duo took the adult category. Kimberly Clayton, 20, and Alex Otchy, 20, both Manasquan residents and students at Virginia Tech, dressed as the popular Transformers characters Bumble Bee and Optimus Prime for Halloween this year.

Finally, Chelsea, a tough little Yorkshire terrier from Point Pleasant Beach who dressed as “Jaws” for Halloween, took the pet category, with 51 percent of the vote, or 275 of the 538 votes cast in that category.

Chelsea’s proud owner, Sam Palumbo, submitted the winning photo, which earned Chelsea a $25 gift certificate to B.C. Woof, in Manasquan.

2nd Annual Halloween Costume Photo Contest Finalists

Congratulations to our 2nd Annual Halloween Photo Contest Finalists. Please vote for your favorites today! (Please, only one vote per person). Voting will end Tuesday, November 17 at 5 p.m.

The winner in each category will win the following Grand Prizes:

Pets - $50 Gift Certificate for BC Woof, in Manasquan

Kids - $50 Gift Certificate for Quinnderella’s Toys in Manasquan

Adults - $100 Gift Certificate to the restaurant of choice that advertises with The Coast Star or The Ocean Star

Riley Herzog is a sweet St. Catherine Girl. Submitted by Caitlin of Sea Girt.

Chelsea Palumbo is downright frightening as JAWS. Submitted by Sam Palumbo from Point Beach.

Rufus, an Australian Labradoodle, is a witch with a broom. Rufus is a therapy dog from Mantoloking who loves to get dressed up and have his photo taken. Submitted by Beverly Wenrich.

Lady Gaga VMA outfit, modeled here by Amy Agoliaiti, 17, of Manasquan. Amy attends MHS. Submitted by her mother, Gail Lagomarsino.

What's for dinner? ME! The Girl with her Head in the Table, Mia Roccesano, 8, of Spring Lake, looks appetizing - if you're a zombie. Mia attends H.W. Mountz. Submitted by her mom, Susan.

This Gnome on a Mushroom is Hannah Whitcomb, 8, of Spring Lake. Submitted by her mom, Kerry Whitcomb.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Submitted by Maria Hines.

Teachers from the Allenwood School - Jeff Allen, Maria Hines, Cally Jakuc, Jeanette Schill, Kristine Kuczko, Diane Preston, Susan Feeley, & Bobby Trojan.

Sweatin' to the Oldies. This Workout Couple is ready to pump you up. Submitted by Martha Terry. Pictured are Martha (left) and Martin Terry of Wall.

Transformers. Submitted by Kim Clayton.

Alex Otchy, 20, Optimus Prime & Kimberly Clayton, 20, Bumble Bee. Both Alex and Kim attend Virginia Tech and are residents of Manasquan.

Weekly Random Drawing Winner

This week's random drawing winner is Culli Pringle, 14, of Belmar, who dressed up as a Facebook wall comment.

The Manasquan High School freshman wins a family four-pack of passes to Jenkinson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach. Congratulations Culli!

Be sure to get your photos in to contest@starnewsgroup.com by this Friday if you want to be considered in this year's Halloween Photo Contest.

Weekly Random Drawing Winner

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Gehrig Cupo, 7, a student at Manasquan Elementary School, is our weekly random drawing winner in the 2nd Annual Star News Group Halloween Photo Contest. Gehrig won a family 4-pack to Jenk's Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach.

Be sure to send us your Halloween costume photos to contest@starnewsgroup.com or you can drop them off in person at either The Coast Star office, 13 Broad St. in Manasquan, or The Ocean Star office, 421 River Ave. in Point Pleasant Beach.

All photos submitted must be the property of the entrant. Upon submission, all photos become the property of Star News Group and may be published in print and online.

Submissions will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 6.

Halloween Costume Contest Returns

Think you’ve got a winning Halloween costume this year? Well, here is your chance to prove it.

Star News Group, publisher of The Coast Star in Manasquan and The Ocean Star in Point Pleasant Beach, is currently seeking submissions for its Second Annual Spooktacular Halloween Photo Contest.

Whether the costume is scary and ghoulish or downright foolish, Star News Group wants to see area residents decked out in full Halloween regalia.

Winners will be named in three categories — adults aged 18 and above, children aged 17 and under, and pets.

Prizes will be awarded for the top photo submission in each category.

In the adult category, the prize will be a $100 gift certificate to any restaurant that advertises in The Coast Star or The Ocean Star.

In the children’s category, the grand prize will be a $50 gift certificate to Quinnderella’s Toys in Manasquan.

In the pets category, the grand prize will be a $25 gift certificate to B.C. Woof in Manasquan.

Additionally, entering the contest will automatically qualify contestants in weekly drawings for free passes to the Jenkinson’s A-Scare-Ium in Point Pleasant Beach or Jenkinson’s Aquarium.

Photos can be submitted via e-mail to contest@starnewsgroup.com or dropped off in person at either The Coast Star office, 13 Broad St. in Manasquan, or The Ocean Star office, 421 River Ave. in Point Pleasant Beach.

All photos submitted must be the property of the entrant. Upon submission, all photos become the property of Star News Group and may be published in print and online.

The subject or subjects in the photographs must be wearing a Halloween costume and must be a resident within the Star News Group coverage area — Bradley Beach, Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Lake Como, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Sea Girt, Wall Township, Manasquan, Brielle, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Lavallette and Mantoloking.

Please include the name[s], age[s], school[s], if applicable, and town[s] of residence of the person, people or pets in the photo, as well as the contact information for the person submitting the photo.

Submissions will be accepted starting today, through Friday, Nov. 6.

Employees of Star News Group or members of their families are not eligible to enter.

The Readers Have Spoken

The First Annual Star News Group Spooktacular Halloween Costume Photo Contest is  now over and our Grand Prize winners have been chosen. Hundreds of Star News Group readers voted and our winners are...

Best Costume, Kids, goes to Hanna Whitcomb, 7, for "Haunting Spring Lake" with 339 out of 636 votes (53%). Photo submitted by Kerry Whitcomb. Ms. Whitcomb has won a $50 gift certificate to Quinnderella's Toys in Manasquan.

Best Costume, Adults, goes to Dana and Mike Griggs of Wall for their entry, "Kiss Reunion," which  received 446 of 868 votes. They have won a $100 gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice from the starnewsgroup.com restaurant guide.

Best Costume, Pets, is awarded, by a whisker, to the 7-year old Boston Terrier from Spring Lake Heights, Weezer, as Superman. Weezer beat Shana the Skunk from Wall by 2 votes - 305 votes to 303 votes. Submitted by Elizabeth Hodson of Spring Lake Heights. Weezer can now enjoy a $25 gift certificate to B.C. Woof in Manasquan.

Congratulations to all of our winners and a BIG "Thank You" to everyone who participated.

And the nominees are...

Scroll down to view the finalists for the First Annual Star News Group Halloween Costume Contest.  To vote, just choose from the polls on the right. 

Check back throughout the week to see how your favorites are doing!

Best Costume, Kids:

Dean Martin Terry, 6, of Wall looks much older than he really is.

Hanna Whitcomb, 7, is haunting Spring Lake.

Joe Trainor, 1, of Wall is a true Halloween surprise. 

Best Costume, Adults:

The Deadliest Catch - Christine McArthur of Brielle is sporting a fishing vessel with working headlights and marker lights and a PVC mast.

From left to right, Brian and Lisa Williams of Aberdeen reunited with Dana and Mike Griggs of Wall to bring back classic rock.

Bob McArthur of Brielle is a Rusted Robot. This costume is made out of cardboard, duct tape, and Christmas lights. He carries two nine-volt batteries two storage boxes for carring extra goods and two drink cups for the long walks through the neighborhood.

Best Costume, Pets:

CASEY is a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier & he thinks he is the COOOOOLest POOCH in Town

Weezer, a 7-year old Boston Terrier from Spring Lake Heights, is able to leap tall dog houses in a single bound.

Shana may be Wall's only indoor Skunk.