Taryn and Michael Aiello of Oxford were the first parents to enter their children in this year’s Beautiful Baby Photo Contest. The contest is a charitable fundraiser, this year raising funds for Newtown’s First Responders and the My Sandy Hook Family Fund.

A sneak preview of this year’s Beautiful Baby contestants will be offered on Saturday, May 25 (weather permitting), during The Newtown Lions Club Great Pootatuck Duck Race in Sandy Hook Center on Saturday, May 25.

The competition will begin its official 2½ weeks of voting on Friday, June 7, during the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Lobsterfest. The voting booth will be on display, a votes will be collected, during both nights of the festival, which continues Saturday, June 8.

After that, the display and voting booth will move to Stop & Shop in Sand Hill Plaza until June 23. When the display is on view, the public is invited to “vote” by putting $1 bills into a box that corresponds with each contestant’s photo. At the end of voting, the entry fees and all votes will be divided between this year’s beneficiaries.

 Space is still available for parents and relatives who wish to enter their children in this year’s contest. Entry fee is $10, and each child entered will receive a toy, a free sitting and an 8 by 10 portrait sheet from JC Penny’s Portrait Studio at the Danbury Fair Mall, a free lesson at The Little Gym in Newtown, children’s toothbrushes and oral care products from Dental Associates and David Nowacki DDS, and a free cupcake from DOrazio Sisters Bakery, also in Newtown.

Space is limited.  Call Lois Barber, 203-270-8017, as soon as possible, to post a child’s photograph in this year’s contest. Children should be newborn to 4 years of age, and do not need to live in Newtown in order to enter the friendly competition.

The winning baby and his or her family will ride in a chauffeur-driven convertible provided by Mercedes of Danbury in Newtown’s Labor Day Parade as the Beautiful Baby Winner and win a Family Fun Prize basket.