The Winner of Patch's Best Halloween Costume in America Contest is ...

Ashley Playford dressed up as a pirate carrying a mermaid this Halloween. Well, actually, she dressed up as the mermaid. The result of her creativity has earned the title of Patch's Best Halloween Costume in America and a $5,000 grand prize.  

It was Playford's use of an optical illusion that won us over. Take a look for yourself at the photo she entered on Peekskill-Cortlandt Patch.

Almost 4,000 Patch users entered the contest from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5, showing off costumes ranging from the Eiffel Tower and Honey Boo Boo to a flower pot and a clever interpretation of "binders full of women."

National judges chose one finalist from each Patch state (we combined North Carolina & South Carolina for this contest, as well as Washington D.C. and Virginia). Pennsylvania's finalist, Lucian Meckley of Germansville, Lehigh County, won over the judges with his recycling truck costume assembled by Mom and Dad.

Each state finalist will receive $250. Judges chose Playford from those finalists.

Congratulations to Playford and to all the other statewide winners chosen for their creative and innovative costumes. Check out our gallery above for photos of all the finalists and the links below for more information about them.

We can't wait to see what you come up with next Halloween!

Statewide finalists include:

• Massachusetts: http://hamilton-wenham.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-82048eb0#photo-11734671
• New Hampshire: http://hampton-northhampton.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-contest#photo-12006859
• Pennsylvania: http://abington.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-a4e85117#photo-11917804
• Michigan: http://brighton.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-508cd92c#photo-11975491
• Minnesota: http://roseville.patch.com/articles/deadline-today-for-patch-s-best-halloween-costume-contesteek-until-halloween-and-big-patch-costume-contest-deadline#photo-11997595
• Washington: http://lakewood.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-98b5db89#photo-11921681
• New York: http://peekskill.patch.com/articles/could-the-best-halloween-costume-in-america-be-in-cortlandt-or-peekskill#photo-12033824
• Wisconsin: http://caledonia.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-contest-914d9aca#photo-11966445
• California: http://missionviejo.patch.com/articles/enter-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest#photo-12003276
• Missouri: http://florissant.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-ff49fd16#photo-12018527
• The Carolinas: http://summerville.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-f6d9fe68#photo-11986043
• Iowa: http://westdesmoines.patch.com/articles/how-to-win-5000-enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest#photo-11971809
• Georgia: http://smyrna.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-01be3c7d#photo-12003381
• Florida: http://bloomingdale.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-297aa883#photo-11917569
• New Jersey: http://scotchplains.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-d0c8b6d6#photo-11939142
• DC/Virginia: http://georgetown.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-237695c8#photo-11732461
• Connecticut: http://fairfield.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-f43fd1d9
• Rhode Island: http://northkingstown.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-fb100955#photo-11932952
• Maryland: http://perryhall.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patch-s-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-be32bef6#photo-12022089
• Ohio: http://strongsville.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-5932a4be#photo-11748150
• Illinois: http://batavia.patch.com/articles/enter-to-win-patchs-best-halloween-costume-in-america-contest-aaecc8f3#photo-11944506