See the winners of this year's Oh, You Turkey coloring contest

Turkeys get lots of leniency.

The president of the United States and the governors of many of our neighboring states give the big brown birds a reprieve on Thanksgiving. But not in Minnesota. We don't pardon our turkeys — we cover them in flying colors.

This year, thousands of kids (and a smattering of adults) took part in our annual Oh, You Turkey art contest, showing their skill with crayons, markers and a whole lot of glitter.

Winnowing the winners was difficult. Our youngest group of artists used surprising media: watercolor, Nana's bingo dauber and peacock feathers. In the 5-8 age category, we were treated to unusual color palettes and an exuberance that shone in the finished work. Our oldest contestants showed both craft and originality. Of course, many turkeys donned DIY masks, which only gave the fowl an added sense of flair. Hats off to everyone who participated.

Here are the winners:

Age group: 0-4

1. Nolan McCarthy, 4

2. Rowan Chandler, 3

3. Emerson Daly, 4

Age group: 5-8

1. Maddy Kissinger, 8

2. Anya Neu, 8

3. Vivianna Saarela, 6

Age group: 9-12

1. Julia Hansen, 12

2. Samantha Hansen, 11

3. Julia Kelley, 12

Editor's note: An earlier version of the photo gallery attached to this story incorrectly stated the winner of the second place in the 9-12 age division. The photo gallery has been updated to reflect the correct information.