Now in its 13th year, the Special Sauce Design Contest is the longest running Sauce for a Cause program. The contest came about as a way to bring our fans into our creative process. Since then, it has evolved into a community-building event that fosters participation on many levels: from creating and submitting a design, to voting on favorites, and finally purchasing the hat and supporting a charity. Artists of all ages and abilities, from near and far, have been contest winners. This year is no exception–we're thrilled with this year's Special Sauce collection and hope you are too!
Linnea's
Wild Waters
A true woman of the outdoors, Linnea's design merges all her favorite aspects of Montana's wild places. The design benefits Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Wild Waters is available in our one-size Fleece N' Swift hat.
I am a graphic designer, painter, fly fisher, and lover of the colorful outdoors. The submission I made for this contest is a perfect translation of all these things!
Playing off the ecosystems both above and below the water, this design has a good sense of “Montana Wild” with the cutthroat, wildflowers, and mountain air.
My husband and I moved to Bozeman 5 years ago from Colorado, and can be found on our drift boat most weekends. I work professionally as the manager of Revelyst’s design team, including local brands such as Simms and Stone Glacier.
After farmers markets, local showings and art fairs, my work is starting to make its way out into Bozeman and I’m excited to see it on this new type of canvas! I discovered Sauce hats my second winter here, and as an avid runner quickly fell in love with how great the products are for cold active days outside.
I’d like for the proceeds of the hat to go to Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. BHA seeks to ensure North America's outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife.
I want to say thank you to everyone that voted for this design, and hope it brings warmth, comfort and a colorful reminder of Montana summers through our long winter months!
Sauce: Thank you very much for your thoughtful and attractive design this year!
Henry's
Goodnight Fox
An aspiring artist, 9-year old Henry loves to draw and spend time outside. This peaceful winter scene brings all the best parts of winter to mind. Wouldn't you love to join that little fox in the moonlit aspen grove? Sales of Goodnight Fox benefit Bozeman's Museum of the Rockies.
Goodnight Fox is available in two hat sizes: our adult one-size Fleece N' Swift and our Youth Fleece N' Swift (ages 4-7).
My name is Henry. I am 9 and in 4th grade and I love to draw. My favorite things to draw are dinosaurs, Godzilla and other Kaiju (Japanese monsters).
I actually did this fox design as part of an art project in school and my Mom thought we should enter it because it would make a nice hat. I guess she was right! I really had fun helping with the final layout of the design. One unique thing I thought of was that we could make the Sauce logo on the back look like a wooden sign attached to one of the trees.
Thank you for voting for my fox design. I hope you like the hat.
I love dinosaurs and am lucky enough to live in a place with a world-class dinosaur museum. I would like the sales of my hat to benefit the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT.
Sauce: Henry, Thank you very much for your participation! Maybe a drawing of Godzilla will win next year.
HOW THE CONTEST WORKS
Click here to receive our PDF template. Use any means you wish to design your creative element. Crayons, markers, decoupage, design software... As long as you're not sending us copyrighted artwork, it all goes!
Check back in fall of 2026!
Join our newsletter in the footer menu to stay in the contest loop! We send emails with deadline reminders and updates.
NEW Dates: Voting will take place on our website from October 25-29, 2025. Be sure to join our email newsletter or follow us @SauceActive on social media to stay in the contest loop!
The adult and youth design with the most votes at the end of the voting period will win the contest and be announced the week following the close of the contest. The winners will receive one of their hats and a gift card to purchase any of the products in our online store - including more of their own hat!
AND Sauce will donate a portion of the sales from your design over the next 12 months to your charity of choice. Learn more about Sauce for a Cause and how this contest has benefited charities in the past.
RECENT WINNERS
This is our favorite event of the season and we can't do it without you!! Thanks to YOUR participation in our Special Sauce Design Contest we have been able to donate thousands of dollars to a variety of winner-chosen charities and organizations.
The images below showcase winners from the past several years. Maybe yours can be next!
