Austin has been selected as one of the 10 finalists in Minnesota Monthly’s “Best Minnesota Town Contest,” and you can help in winning the contest, whose voting begins on Monday.

The winner, whether a small town or large city, will have a party thrown in its honor, among other honors, “and we think we deserve that party!” said Nancy Schnable, head of Discover Austin, the convention and visitor’s bureau.

Go to bestmntown.com and click on “Austin” as your choice for the Best Minnesota Town. You’ll be able to vote 10 times per day, and voting will be open until 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 13. Family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances can help bring the party to Austin with their votes.

Five finalists will be notified on Nov. 2, and the winner announced Nov. 30.

The Best Minnesota Town contest is produced by Minnesota Monthly magazine, and presented by Old Dutch.

“The contest is looking for ‘the town that most embodies the Spirit of Minnesota’ and we think Austin is the one,” said Schnable. “We have history; a great location; wonderful access to nature; a huge presence in music, art, and theatre; sports all year-round; distinctive ‘only in Austin’ attractions and events; and truly amazing residents who make this the best place to live.”

For more information, contact Discover Austin at 507-437-4563.