The wait is over— meet this year's winning artists!

SouthWest Transit is excited to announce the winners of the 2026 Community Design Contest! 

This year, individuals ages 11–18 who live in or attend school within the SouthWest Transit service area were invited to create original artwork inspired by two Minnesota favorites: the State Fair and the Renaissance Festival. 

Young artists brought their creativity and unique perspectives to the theme, showcasing what makes these two events so special. 

Drumroll, please!

After reviewing the submissions, our judges have made their selections. 

Congratulations to our winners! 

McKinley Ulfers, 15, of Eden Prairie

Maya Chang, 12, of Eden Prairie

Their artwork will soon move from the page to the road, transformed into full-size SouthWest Transit bus wraps that will travel throughout our communities.  

The celebration doesn’t stop there! 

We couldn’t resist adding one more design to the lineup. SouthWest Transit also held an internal contest, giving employees the opportunity to submit their own bus wrap designs. 

Congratulations to Jordan Sorvari, whose winning artwork will also be featured on a SouthWest Transit bus. 

About the Winning Designs

McKinley's winning design, From Sunrise to Sunset, celebrates a full day at the Minnesota State Fair—from the first ride in the morning to the last parade at sunset. Inspired by her family's annual tradition of spending the entire day at the fair, her colorful design features favorite attractions including the Giant Slide, Ferris wheel, Skyride, parade, and fair food. As a snare drummer herself, McKinley also chose to feature a female snare drummer in her artwork, hoping to inspire other young girls to see themselves represented and encouraged to pursue their passions. 

Maya's winning design, Renaissance & State Fair Bus, brings this year's theme to life by transforming the bus into two colorful worlds—one side celebrating the Renaissance Festival and the other the Minnesota State Fair. Her artwork features original characters alongside recognizable elements from each event, creating a fun and imaginative interpretation of two Minnesota favorites. Maya has enjoyed creating art for many years and especially loves drawing anime and designing her own characters. She hopes to write and illustrate her own manga or comic book one day. 

The creativity did not stop there! SouthWest Transit also held an internal contest, giving employees the opportunity to submit their own bus wrap designs. Jordan Sorvari was selected as the winner, and his artwork will also be featured on a SouthWest Transit bus. 

Jordan Sorvari's winning employee design, Northern Lights, combines childhood memories of two Minnesota favorites into one striking design. Inspired by the glowing lights of the Minnesota State Fair and the magic of the Renaissance Festival, Jordan created a scene featuring a dragon weaving through the Northern Lights. The flowing movement of the dragon mirrors the dancing aurora while adding a playful nod to the Renaissance Festival's knights. 

The big reveal is coming soon! 

Keep your eyes open — before long, you’ll be able to see McKinley, Maya, and Jordan’s one-of-a-kind artwork rolling through the southwest metro! 

Want to follow along? Read our press release, follow us on social media, and check this page for updates as we reveal the finished bus wraps.

Celebrate two Minnesota favorites for one great fare! 

The fun doesn’t end with the bus wraps. SouthWest Transit’s BOGO shuttle promotion is back! 

Riders who buy a shuttle ticket to either the State Fair or Renaissance Festival will receive a ride voucher to the other event. 

2 fairs for 1 fare! 

Thank you to our community 

Thank you to every young artist who shared their artwork with us. We had so much fun looking through all of your creative designs.

And a special thank you to the schools, community partners, families, and everyone who helped share the contest and encourage young artists to participate.