Official Rules and Regulations

"IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN" ESSAY CONTEST

The "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Essay Contest (the "Contest") is intended for viewing and participation by residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico) only. Do not enter this Contest if you are not a resident of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.

  1. Eligibility: All entrants must be at least 13 years or older as of May 23, 2006 and legal residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico). Employees of the United Feature Syndicate, Inc. ("Sponsor"), and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents and immediate family (defined as parents, spouse, children, siblings, grandparents) of each such employees, and all those with whom such employees are domiciled, are not eligible. Void in Puerto Rico, outside of the United States, and wherever prohibited or restricted by law.
  2. Timing: Contest begins at 12:00:01 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on May 23, 2006 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on July 21, 2006. Ten finalists will be selected and announced on or about August 31, 2006. The grand prize winner will be selected from the ten finalists by the date the American Broadcasting Company airs "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in October 2006, but in no event later than October 31, 2006.
  3. How to Enter: Submit an original essay of no less than 500 words and no more than 600 words about your worst Halloween experience ever. The following information MUST be included along with the essay: name and address of entrant; date of birth; entrant's e-mail address (if available); and where entrant learned of contest (for example, name of newspaper or website). Incomplete entries are void. Submit your essay via email at greatpumpkin@unitedmedia.com or mail your essay with stapled cover sheet to:

    "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Essay Contest
    United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
    200 Madison Ave.
    New York, NY 10016

    Essay must be the sole and original work of the entrant. Essays must be in English. Please retain a copy of your submission. More than one entry from any person or e-mail address will void all entries from that person or e-mail address. No automated entry devices permitted for entry. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.
  4. Judging Criteria: Each entrant selected as a potential winner must comply with all terms and conditions set forth in these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all such requirements. Essays will be judged on the equally-weighted criteria of style, content and clarity of expression. In the event of a tie, tied entries will be re-judged on the basis of style. The contest will take place under the supervision of the Sponsor. Participants agree to be bound by these rules and the decision of the judges, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters relating to this Contest. Finalists will be notified by telephone, e-mail or mail before August 31, 2006. The grand prize winner will be notified by telephone, email or mail before the date the American Broadcasting Company airs "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in October 2006, but in no event later than October 31, 2006. If a potential winner cannot be contacted within seven days after the first attempt to contact such potential winner, an alternate entrant may be selected.
  5. Prizes: The following prizes will be awarded: Ten finalists will be awarded a selection of PEANUTS themed merchandise with approximate retail value ("ARV") of no less than $100. The grand prize winner will be awarded a trip for two to Santa Rosa, California, home of the Charles M. Schulz Museum. Dates of travel are subject to airline and hotel availability at time of booking and may be restricted. Travel must be completed between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. The trip will include round-trip coach airfare for two to San Francisco, California, from the major airport nearest the winner's residence as well as a tour of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and lunch at the Warm Puppy located on its premises and car rental transportation in and around the area and hotel accommodations in Santa Rosa for three days and two nights (single room, double occupancy). Car rental is a compact car and includes CDW and tax. Blackout dates and restrictions apply. All expenses not specified are the sole responsibility of the participants including meals, ground transfers, travel upgrades, personal incidentals and gratuities. ARV: $1850.00. Actual value will depend on point of departure and airfare fluctuations. In the event winner cannot travel on dates designated by Sponsors, prize will be forfeited in its entirety. Further conditions may apply. Total value of all prizes to be awarded $2850.00.

    The Sponsor is not responsible for lost or mutilated prizes and none will be replaced. Prize is nontransferable and must be accepted as awarded. No cash redemptions or other substitutions may be made, except by the Sponsor in the event that the prize cannot be awarded for any reason, in which case, the Sponsor will substitute a prize of equal or greater value. All taxes, fees and surcharges on prizes are the sole responsibility of winner.
  6. Other Terms and Conditions: All entries must be completely original, may not have won previous prizes and must not infringe on any third party rights. Submission of entry constitutes entrant's consent (or that of their parent/legal guardian should they be a minor in their state of residence) to irrevocably assign to the Sponsor any and all rights to their entry including, but not limited to, intellectual property rights. By entering, entrants agree to abide by these rules and finalists and the grand prize winner and their parents/legal guardians grant Sponsor the right to edit, display, promote use and publish their first name and submission online and in print, or any other media, in connection with the Contest without further permission, notice, or compensation for any lawful purpose. Except where prohibited, acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for Sponsor and their advertising and promotional agencies to use winners' names and likenesses for editorials, advertising, and promotional purposes without payment of additional compensation unless prohibited by law.

    Potential winners and any guest who will share in the prize will each be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release within seven days of notification, failing which the potential winner will be disqualified and another winner will be selected in the place of the disqualified person. In the event any winner is a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, such winner's parent/legal guardian will be required to sign and return all required documents. If the grand prize winner or the grand prize winner's guest is a minor, such person must be accompanied by his/her parent/legal guardian on the grand prize trip, and any expenses incurred or resulting from more than two people participating in the grand prize will be the sole responsibility of the grand prize winner and his/her parent/legal guardian. If any prize or prize notification is returned as non-deliverable, the potential winner will be disqualified and another potential winner will be selected in the original potential winner's place. By accepting the prize, the winner agrees that the Sponsor and those acting under the Sponsor's authority, may use winner's name, picture/portrait likeness, essay and/or voice, for advertising and promotional purposes without further consideration, unless prohibited by law. BY ACCEPTING THE PRIZE, THE WINNER AGREES THAT THE SPONSOR, ITS, PARENT, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION AGENCIES, AND ALL OF THE SPONSOR'S OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS, WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR, AND WILL BE HELD HARMLESS BY WINNER FOR ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURY, LOSS OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS, INCLUDING DEATH, AND PROPERTY, DUE IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THE ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE OR MISUSE OF THE PRIZE OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY CONTEST OR PRIZE RELATED ACTIVITYOR CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION OR INVASION OF PRIVACY, MERCHANDISE DELIVERY OR THE VIOLATION OF ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, INCLUDING COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT. Subject to all federal, state and local laws. Void where prohibited.
  7. Miscellaneous: All entries become the sole property of the Sponsor and none will be acknowledged or returned. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of online entrant, entries made by Internet will be deemed made by the name appearing on the entry. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failure, human error or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, alteration of, or lost entries. The Sponsors are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site, any combination thereof, or otherwise, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in the Contest. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
  8. Winners List: A complete list of the ten finalists will be available at www.snoopy.com no later than August 31, 2006 or by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope postmarked August 31, 2006 or after to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Essay Contest, United Feature Syndicate, Inc., 200 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10016. The grand prize winner will be announced by the date the American Broadcasting Company airs "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in October 2006, but in no event later than October 31, 2006 on www.snoopy.com or by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope postmarked on or after October 31, 2006 to "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Essay Contest, United Feature Syndicate, Inc., 200 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10016.
  9. Sponsor: The Sponsor of this Contest is United Feature Syndicate Inc. Sponsor's address is: United Feature Syndicate, Inc., 200 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10016.