With more than 7,000 total videos watched in less than two months, entries in the San Juan Islands Vacation Video Contest have streamed in from visitors around the country, including one from a couple in Denmark who spent their holiday in the islands.

There are more than 30 official entries in the $6,367 contest sponsored by 28 local businesses, the Chambers of Commerce on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Island, the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, and sanjuanislandsTV.com.

“Some of the videos entered are really pretty good!” Lisa Mollica-O’Brien of sanjuanislandsTV.com said. “Some are funny, some are cute, but all show the unique qualities of visiting or vacationing here in the islands.”

The video contest is being promoted on the home page of each island’s chamber of commerce website, as well as sanjuanislandsTV.com, YouTube, Google Video, Twitter, MySpace, and the SJIVB. During July, it was a Top 20 “Most Responded To” video in the Travel and Events category on YouTube. It has also been picked up by several national video contest websites. Posters of the contest can be found on the Washington State Ferries and in the terminals serving the San Juan Islands, Sidney, BC, Port Townsend, and Whidbey Island routes.

“The contest video itself has been watched well over 2,000 times,” Mollica-O’Brien said. “But the entries have been watched in excess of 5,000 times.”

She elaborated that every time someone watches another person’s vacation video from the San Juan Islands, it’s essentially promoting the fun of visiting here.

“And that is what this is all about,” she added.

The grand prize is a three-night stay on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands with lodging, dinner, activities, and $1,000 cash, plus five additional nights of lodging, gift certificates, and passes that can be used on the same trip or multiple trips. Total approximate retail value (ARV) is $5,367. First prize is a four-day Family Camp Weekend at Canoe Island French Camp. Includes transportation from island ferry terminals, lodging, gourmet meals, and use of all island facilities and equipment. Available dates are limited and at Canoe Island’s discretion. ARV is $1,000.

To enter, people must post their videos as a video response to the “Vacation Video Contest San Juan Islands” on YouTube here: Video Contest

For more information contact Darren O’Brien at 378-6063 or darren@sanjuanislandstv.com.