The City of Westminster is turning itself purple to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Baltimore Ravens' training camp at McDaniel College.

Businesses along Main Street are being encouraged to "Paint the Town Purple" from July 26 to Aug. 20 by creating window or storefront displays featuring football or the team color of purple.

The city is hosting a competition that will present winners in four categories: purple "pfanatic," purple pride, purple passion and purple unique.

"It's something different, kind of unique," said Stan Ruchlewicz, administrator of economic development for Westminster. "We have a very eclectic group of participants."

This past week, as merchants prepared for the arrival of the Ravens, a purple tree featuring ravens sitting in its branches took shape in the window at Buckingham Auto.

Though she admits to being a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Georgia Bowie, the auto shop's estimator and office manager, helped put the display together.

"It was kind of hard for me, as I'm from Pennsylvania," admitted Bowie, of helping with the project. She put team loyalties aside to concentrate on the Ravens' colors.

Down the street at Ain't That A Frame, the gallery took a more modern style to the purple challenge. The store's window features photos of purple irises -- blown up to dominate the storefront.

"It's a little more artistic approach," said Tara Will, a designer. "We wanted it to relate to art a little."

The arrival of the Baltimore Ravens and their fans is always a high for the city, according to Ruchlewicz.

"It's one of those things when you get free press when they're in town," Ruchlewicz said. "Hopefully, we get people in town to eat and, potentially, shop during the camp."

To help with local promotion, the city is putting together a local restaurant/walking guide that will inform visitors of what's available in the downtown area, and which shop and attractions they can find within a 15- or 30-minute walk from McDaniel.

"The places are numbered so you have an idea what each and everything is," Ruchlewicz said of the guide.

On average, the training camp draws about 80,000 people to town, Ruchlewicz said. With new faces in the Ravens' lineup, Ruchlewicz predicts the crowd numbers may even be a little larger this year.

"The new and interesting faces should help also in terms of attendance at the camp," Ruchlewicz said. "It will be a pretty decent size crowd."

Purple Party July 29

The Paint the Town Purple contest entries will be displayed July 26 to Aug. 20 along Westminster's Main Street. Winners of the contest will be announced Thursday, July 29, at 6 p.m., just prior to the Songs at Six concert at the outdoor stage at Locust Lane, just off Main Street about a block east of Railroad Avenue.

As part of the celebration, kids can play a Ravens Tailgate Toss bean bag game, courtesy of Exchange Professionals. Stan Ruchlewicz, administrator of economic development for Westminster, said Mayor Kevin Utz will present the trophies and certificates to the winners.

There will be a committee of judges, but Ruchlewicz would not reveal their identities. "It's top secret," he laughed. "We don't want them bribed."

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