Sure Fit slipcovers has announced its ninth annual Ugly Couch Contest, offering the top prize of $5,000 and a newspaper advertisement in the winner’s hometown of the owner and the nation’s ugliest couch. Entries will be received from July 1 through August. Sure Fit will narrow the field to 10 semifinalists; their couches will be posted online at www.surefit.com for voting by the American public, who will narrow the contenders to three. (“Judges” who cast votes online from Aug. 12 though 25 will be entered in a sweepstakes worth $1,000.) Finalists will receive an all-expense-paid trip to New York City to appear on “LIVE with Regis & Kelly “in September, where the studio audience will vote for the grand-prize winner. According to the official rules, the criteria used by voters throughout the contest is: ugliness of overall design and fabric pattern; offensiveness of color; inappropriateness of fabric; and inappropriateness of the combination of fabric, color and design as it relates to any period in the recent history of furniture. Send a good-quality color photo of an ugly couch to Sure Fit, c/o Ugly Couch Contest, 58 W. 40th Street, Second Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018. Include your full name, address, phone number, and e-mail. For entry online, visit www.surefit.com , click on the “Ugly Couch Contest” button on the home page and follow the instructions. CARRICK GARDENS IN SPOTLIGHT The 11th annual Carrick Goes Gardening Contest is being held to recognize the gardening efforts of Carrick’s residents, churches and businesses. Any home, apartment, business, church or school is invited to participate, and any yard, hillside, patio or porch is considered a garden site. Entry forms are available in Carrick at the Citizens National Bank, the Carrick Library, St. Basil’s Credit Union, PNC Bank and Sky Bank. Deadline for entering is June 30. A volunteer judge will visit each garden between July 1 to 15; gardeners do not have to be present. Contestants are encouraged to submit a photograph of their gardens with their entries. The awards program is Sept. 10 during the Carrick Community Council meeting at Concord Church, 1907 Brownsville Road, Carrick. For information or to volunteer as a judge, call (412) 884-9299 or (412) 884-3834. WEEKEND OF ROSES “Growing & Caring for Roses” is the subject of a program sponsored by Trax Farms, 528 Trax Road, Finleyville. At 1 p.m. May 25, the nursery will conduct a seminar for gardeners — novice to experienced — about caring for roses. The in-house Rosarian, Carolyn Monyok, also will answer questions. Also, on May 24 and 25, all roses are 20 percent off. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Details: (412) 835-3246 or visit www.traxfarms.com . PENN’S COLONY PLANS MARKET The third annual Penn’s Colony May Market will be May 23 through 25 at the Carey Student Center of St. Vincent College, Latrobe. The show, over the Memorial Day weekend, features original designer crafts, fine art, furniture, gifts and decorative accessories. The college is along Route 30 in the Laurel Highlands midway between Greensburg and Ligonier; from Pittsburgh, take the turnpike to exit 7 (Johnstown). Hours are noon to 7 p.m. May 23 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 24 and 25. Admission for adults is $5; seniors 60 and older, $4; and children 8 to 15, $2. Group rates are available. Parking is free. Details: (412) 487-6922 or visit www.pennscolony.com . PERENNIALS IS WORKSHOP TOPIC Gardening expert Allan Armitage will share his knowledge about perennial plants and flowers in a daylong course from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. July 31 at Botany Hall, Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park, Oakland. Armitage will talk about the top performers and “workhorses” of the perennial world. The cost is $65 if registration is made by June 30, $75 after. The event is co-sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden. Details: (412) 441-4442 or (412) 473-2549. – From staff and wire reports Additional Information:

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