Eden Prairie, Minn., July 13, 2026 — The wait is over! SouthWest Transit is excited to announce the winners of its 2026 Community Design Contest, an initiative that gives young artists the opportunity to see their artwork transformed into a full-size bus wrap that will travel throughout the southwest metro. 

After reviewing all the incredible entries our judges have made their selections. Drumroll, please! The winning designs are: 

McKinley Ulfers, 15, of Eden Prairie 
Maya Chang, 12, of Eden Prairie 

This year’s theme was inspired by two Minnesota favorites—the State Fair and the Renaissance Festival. Individuals ages 11–18 who live in or attend school within SouthWest Transit’s service area were invited to create designs celebrating the sights, traditions, and experiences that make these events special. 

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. 

“At SouthWest Transit, we believe our buses are more than just a way to get from one place to another. They are part of the communities we serve,” said Erik Hansen, CEO of SouthWest Transit. “This contest gives young artists the opportunity to share their creativity with thousands of people while highlighting their incredible talent. We are proud to help bring their ideas to life and cannot wait to unveil these designs.” 

The winning artwork will soon move from the page to the road, giving riders and community members the chance to see these designs come to life on full-size buses. 

SouthWest Transit is also bringing back its BOGO shuttle promotion for the Minnesota State Fair and Renaissance Festival. Riders who buy a shuttle ticket to either the State Fair or Renaissance Festival will receive a ride voucher to the other event. 

For more information about the Community Design Contest, updates on the official bus wrap reveal, and details about SouthWest Transit’s event shuttle services, visit SouthWest Transit’s website. 

About SouthWest Transit  

SouthWest Transit is an award-winning Transit agency serving the SouthWest Twin Cities area through bus, on demand rideshare, and shuttle services. The agency is committed to serving the needs of their customers through diverse and innovative transit solutions that build community and connect customers from where they are to where they want to go. Visit www.swtransit.org for more information and follow along on LinkedIn.  

Media Contact   
Amy Boehm   
SouthWest Transit   
aboehm@swtransit.org   
952-974-3108