UPDATE: Patch Extends Deadline for Costume Contest

If you've got kids—or if you're a party animal, yourself—chances are you may recently have found yourself or the little ones dolled up and decked out for Halloween festivities—or will soon. Just by .

Now in its second year, Patch's Best Halloween Costume in America contest offers the opportunity to share your creativity with the community while vying for a state finalist prize of $250 or the $5,000 grand prize.

The contest runs from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5. The deadline was extended due to the storm on the East Coast. National judges will choose 21 finalists from each Patch state and select one grand prize winner based on who has the most creative and innovative costume (we've combined North Carolina & South Carolina for this contest, as well as Washington D.C. and Virginia). Each state finalist will receive $250 and one grand prize winner will receive $5,000.

Take a look at last year's winner, the