Hay bales decorated to look like a jack ‘o lantern, a monster and a ghost stand watch outside of Insurance Agent Steve Mueller’s office.

Hay bale depictions of Disney Minions, pumpkins and a giant mug of peppermint hot cocoa dotted the local landscape lately thanks to a contest sponsored by the Rugby Jaycees during October.

A ghost and jack ‘o lantern pal, made from square bales painted in white and orange greet customers at Steve Mueller’s NoDak Insurance office.

A round bale, painted to look like a mug of peppermint cocoa, bears the Merchants Bank logo and features cottony material made to look like marshmallows. In front of the Rugby Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau office, another round bale is decorated to look like a camper trailer, complete with deck chairs and a mock campfire.

Jennifer Swanson of the Rugby Jaycees said the group decided to hold a contest for the best-decorated hay bale after being inspired by a similar contest in Maddock.

“We’re so excited,” Swanson said.

The contest has two categories, one for businesses and one for residents.

“Any of the businesses in town can participate. It can be with round bales, square bales, big or small, whatever they want to do with it. There’s really no limitations or anything like that. The more imagination, the better,” Swanson said.

“Residents can do the same thing – big, small, round, square – there are really no rules to it, just whatever they want to do,” she added.

Swanson said anyone in Rugby with hay bale and a little creativity was welcome to enter the contest. The contest closes Oct. 28.

“We’ll have two winners,” she said. “The businesses and residents are supposed to take pictures of their hay bales and decorations and send them to the Rugby Jaycees or post them directly on our Facebook page with the business’ name or the resident’s name, and the pictures.

“Then, after that, people can vote for them by giving them likes on our Facebook page. You win by posting the pictures and information and whoever has the most likes is going to win,” she said.

Swanson said, since this year was the first for the contest, “We might change it next year.”

“Not everyone has Facebook,” she added. “If someone doesn’t have Facebook, they can have someone post it for them. The winners of the business category and resident category will win a pizza party.

“The owners of the new Baldy’s Pizza – they haven’t opened yet, but they said they’ll take our orders (and supply pizza and pop) so we can have pizza parties for the winning business and residents,” she added. “If the winner is a larger business, like, say, the hospital, we’ll award a party to a department.”

Swanson said the Jaycees planned to announce the two winners on Halloween. Members will deliver the pizza and pop for lunch to the winning business, and contact residents to arrange a time for their party.

The Rugby Jaycees have posted reminders to vote on other local social media pages such as Rugby Facebook Rummage Sales.

“It’s so fun to drive around town and see these ideas and all these bales that are coming up, and the creativity behind it,” Swanson said.

“I work at Dakota Eye Institute, and we’re going to do one,” she added.

“With our schedule, we can’t get it done until the end of next week, so I know there will be more displays coming,” she added.

“Right now, I have for sure three residents, and I know there’s going to be more,” she added. “And we have a total of five or six businesses as of right now. I know there are a few more that are going to be doing it within the next week.”

“So,” she added, “anybody’s welcome to enter.”

For more information, visit the Rugby Jaycees’ Facebook page.