Finalists Chosen for Cat Country Kissing Contest

Valentine's Day on Thursday will mark the annual Cat Country Kissing Contest!

10 couples will meet by 6:15am outside Sage Jewelers on Tilton Road in Northfield, and at 6:30 they will all start kissing. Whichever couple locks lips the longest, without breaking apart, will win a beautiful diamond ring from Sage Jewelers.

There have been two ways to become a finalist. One way was to win "the popular vote" here on our Cat Country website. 15 different couples were featured here over the last several days. More than 28,000 votes later, three finalists have been chosen. They will join the seven finalists who gained entry on the Cat Country Morning Show over the past week.

Here's a look at who's in: (The first three are the winners of our online vote):

• 1. Chelsea and her kissing partner
• 2. Matthew and his kissing partner
• 3. Sarah and her partner
• 4. AJ and CJ
• 5. Chuck and Christine
• 6. Katelyn and Mario
• 7. Melissa and Mike
• 8. Kristen and Brian
• 9. Delizah and Gary
• 10. Dana and Paul

All finalist must report Thursday, to the Cat Country tent in front of Sage Jewelers on Tilton Road in Northfield by 6:15am. Kissing will be OUTSIDE, and begins at 6:30am. No eating, drinking, or smoking while kissing. (Yes, it's happened before.) No breaks of any kind will be permitted.

Now, there is a chance to still get in the kissing contest. Every year we do this, not all couples show up. So, at 6:25am, if all 10 couples are not present, we will do a random drawing from other couples on location, to fill the 10 spots in the contest. So, if you and your kissee are not finalists, show up anyway - you may still get in!