The Rocky Mountains extend through several states including Colorado. It's also called the Centennial State due to it becoming a state on the centennial anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Colorado has lots of contests and sweepstakes opportunities. Below is a sampling of some of the most popular ones.

Arts and Craft Fairs: Artists and crafters can earn cash at fairs and festivals and fairgoers may find freebies and prizes. There are often contests for vendors at these fairs. Find listings for events held all year round in Colorado at FestivalNet.com (http://festivalnet.com/state/colorado/co.html), Arts and Craft Shows - USA (http://www.artsandcraftshows-usa.com/Colorado.shtml), and Colorado Artfest at Castle Rock(http://www.castlerockculture.com/colorado-artfest-at-castle-rock/).

Beauty Pageants: There are beauty and talent pagaents for people of all ages including:

• Miss Colorado (http://www.misscolorado.org/), the state's entryway into the Miss USA pageant.


• Little Miss Colorado (http://www.littlemisscolorado.com/)


• Miss Coed Colorado

You can find more listings at ColoradoCindarella.com and the Colorado page at Pageant Center (http://pageantcenter.com/pageant_calendar/colorado_pageants.html#.U9c-0vldXW4).

Food Festivals: Enter your recipes in a contest at a local food festival or see how far you can go with an all-you-can-eat contest. Find local listings at FoodReference.com (http://www.foodreference.com/html/colorado-food-festivals.html) and LocalWineEvents.com.

Media: KRDO TV has a contests page here http://www.krdo.com/contests and Colorado Homes & Lifestyle Magazine (http://coloradohomesmag.com) has occasional sweepstakes listings.

Outdoors: You can win trips and hunting and fishing gear from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation through their raffles and sweepstakes page here: http://www.rmef.org/Events/RafflesSweepstakes.aspx.

State Fair: The Colorado State Fair holds competitive events including contests for livestock, fine arts, horse and small animal shows and general entry contests including arts, crafts, food and quilts. Learn more at ColoradoStateFair.com.

Travel: Steamboat.com is a popular snow and ski destination and holds occasional contests.

Good luck!