Idaho may be known for its potato crops but it's also home to some great contests and giveaways. Before we get to those, here is some state trivia you may not have known.

• The state's nickname is the Gem State because 72 types of precious and semi-precious stones have been found there.


• Ernest Hemingway wrote his classic For Whom the Bell Tolls in Idaho where he could indulge his love of outdoor activities like hunting, fishing and skiing.


• Idaho has several hot springs, both public and private.


• The Caribou National Forest covers more than 1 million acres in Idaho.

Arts and Crafts: Enter your crafts in contests or attend events to see what giveaways you can find among craft shopping. Find local events at festivalnet.com, artsandcraftshows-usa.com and sunvalleycenter.org.

Beauty Pageants: Beauty queen and king aspirants can find pageant opportunities all across the state at:

• MissIdaho.org and MissIdahoUSA.com - the state precursors to the Miss America and Miss USA pageants respectively.


• Little Idaho Pageants for boys and girls (littleidahopageants.webs.com).


• Idaho page at pageantcenter.com.

Food: I'm sure Idaho's famous potatoes are featured at the state food festivals as well as cuisine for many different tastes. Find an event to enter an eating contest or enter your own recipe at idahofoodfestival.com, foodreference.com and yummynorthwest.com.

Media: Find local contests including trip giveaways, tickets to events and more at the websites for TV stations including: KBOI2.com (kboi2.com/about/contests) and Fox 9 On Your Side (scrippsmedia.com/kivitv/members). Idaho Magazine holds photography and fiction contests (idahomagazine.com/contests/).

State Fair: There are state fairs on the eastern and western side. You can find contests and competitions ranging from food to livestock. Find more info at funatthefair.com (Eastern) and idahofair.com (Western).

Travel: The official Idaho vacation and travel planning site (visitidaho.org/) has monthly giveaways on its Facebook page.

Good luck!

Source consulted:
Idaho Legends: Idaho Fun Facts and Trivia. Legends of America, 2012, https://www.legendsofamerica.com/id-facts.html.

Info on Idaho Travel and History is also available at Amazon.com:
Road Trip Guide to Idaho: (Almost) Comprehensive Travel Series (Volume 5)
Frontier History Along Idaho's Clearwater River: Pioneers, Miners & Lumberjacks