Friends of Mt. Rubidoux Launch Photo and Art Contest for Peace Tower's 100th Anniversary

The Friends of Mt. Rubidoux are marking the Peace Tower's centennial with a photo and art contest inviting the community to capture the iconic landmark through their creative lens.

The contest features two categories—photography and art—with first-place winners in each receiving $250, second place earning $100, and third place taking home $50. Winners will also receive charcuterie boards featuring Peace Tower images, donated by the Friends of the Mission Inn.

"It was Glenn Wenzel's idea for the contest," said Claudia Rodriguez, speaking for the Friends of Mt. Rubidoux. Wenzel serves as the organization's president. "He thought it would be a great way to get the community involved and to get the park exposure to people that may not already have a passion for the mountain as we do."

The contest emerged as one component of a broader centennial celebration funded through community donations. "The generous prizes are offered thanks to the many donations from the community that we received in response to our requests for sponsorships for the 100th anniversary celebration," Rodriguez said.

Entries are due by Jan. 6, 2026, and winners will be announced by Jan. 19, 2026.

The contest accepts entries in two categories: "Snapshots" for phone photography and other casual images, and "Creative/Open" for photos with layers, watercolors and other art forms.

Submissions may be in color or black and white. Photo entries must be minimum 5x7 and maximum 12x18, while creative or open entries must be minimum 5x7 and maximum 16x20. Photos and paper entries must be mounted on simple black or white board, mat board or foam core with full bleed or over-mat. Paintings should use black frames with canvas only.

Entries should include the entrant's name, email and item description, and must be submitted in person to the Mission Inn Foundation at 3696 Main St.

PrintMyStuff at 4093 Market St., has partnered with the organization to provide $10 mounting services for contest entries. The company previously printed Wenzel's special publication "On Peace and Friendship" and created the mounted exhibits currently on display at the Mission Inn Foundation's exhibit space.

Questions about the contest can be directed to friendsofmtrubidoux@gmail.com.

The Mission Inn Foundation is also serving as a key partner. Winning entries will be added to the "On Peace and Friendship" exhibit at the Foundation's exhibit space at Main and 6th streets. The exhibit, curated by Nancy Wenzel, is free and open to the public during the Foundation's store hours and will remain on display until mid-February.

"The Friends of Mt. Rubidoux has a close association with the Foundation, and we thought this would be a great way to get foot traffic into their location," Rodriguez said. Wenzel's publication is available for sale at the Foundation's Main Street location.

"We hope that this is just one way for participants to express their fondness for the Peace Tower and for the community to see the interest in the Tower to encourage them to visit the mountain," Rodriguez said.

Other Centennial Events

The Friends of Mt. Rubidoux will host a commemorative walk to the Peace Tower on Dec. 13, the exact date of the tower's 100th anniversary, where Councilmember Philip Falcone will portray Frank Miller during a reenactment ceremony.

Two lectures covering the Peace Tower and Friendship Bridge are also planned:

The Downtown Main Library will host a lecture on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at 2 p.m., sponsored by the Riverside Public Library and the Friends of Mt. Rubidoux.

The Riverside Historical Society and Friends of Mt. Rubidoux will sponsor a lecture on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. in the basement meeting room at the Riverside Medical Clinic, 7117 Brockton Ave.

Those interested in supporting the organization year-round can visit mt-rubidoux.org, which recently launched a new membership program. The Friends of Mt. Rubidoux are also active on Facebook and Instagram.