WHAT IS SCARECROW TOWN?
Each October since 2015, the Clary Garden Foundation has hosted the Scarecrow Trail fundraiser. Last year, we expanded to a city-wide Scarecrow Town, and now, due to popular demand, we are expanding again! This year, anyone in Coshocton County can participate--even if you live in Warsaw, West Lafayette, Conesville, or Fresno! As long as your scarecrow will be put up within Coshocton County, you can participate! Businesses, organizations, and even residents are encouraged to register for the contest and place their scarecrows outside their store-fronts and homes. If you do not have a physical location, like a school or youth group, you are still encouraged to participate! Clary Gardens welcomes scarecrow entries at the gardens as early as September 1st, 2020. Participants should be reminded that scarecrow entries need to remain through October 31st.
Scarecrows will be entered into a contest where they can win in the following categories: Traditional, Creepy, Pop Culture, and the coveted People’s Choice. Winners will be announced at a virtual Scarecrow Town awards ceremony. Details on the awards ceremony will be forthcoming.
YOU get to choose people's choice, and voting is easy! You can vote on the website, www.scarecrowtown.com. You can vote for as many entries as you would like, but you can only vote for each scarecrow once per device. We will have a panel of three judges to decide the winners in each category. Judges will be announced at a later date.
HOW DO I REGISTER?
To erect a scarecrow, or scarecrow scene, in the competition, participants will pay a fee based on the type of organization they belong to. This year we will be offering an early bird special, and we will not be charging per scarecrow. This is a one-time all inclusive fee! Participants who register before October 1st will receive pricing as follows: $20 for businesses, $10 for non-profit organizations, and $5 for residents. Registration after October 1st will increase by $5, making it $25 for businesses, $15 for non-profit organizations, and $10 for residents.
All registration-- including payment-- will take place online this year at www.scarecrowtown.com. When you log onto the website select "REGISTER YOUR SCARECROW" and you will be directed to PayPal to pay with either your PayPal account or a credit/debit card. After your payment is complete, you will be able to put in all of your information including your name and contact information, your scarecrow's name, and a photo of your scarecrow. You can still register even if your entry isn't up yet! Just email a photo of your finished scarecrow to mothgirl@clarygardens.org as soon as you can. Each contestant will be put on a digital map at www.scarecrowtown.com so the public can visit each scarecrow and vote for their favorites. If you have any questions, please email Reba Kocher at mothgirl@clarygardens.org
SCARECROW BUILDING TIPS
We want this to be an interactive experience for all participants, so we would love all scarecrows to be outside if possible. We want people to be able to take selfies and see your scarecrow even after hours. If your storefront is lacking a grassy area to anchor your scarecrow, fear not! There are some really fun, creative ways to participate. You can always create a scene for your scarecrow. Put down some hay bales or some pumpkins for your scarecrow to sit on. This is also a great idea to bring people in for photos! Maybe your space isn’t big enough for a scene. You can get a big flower pot and stake it inside the pot--be sure to make the base heavy enough that your scarecrow won’t be blown over by the wind! Do give some thought about the frame of your scarecrow. It has to be outside in the elements until the end of October. Ohio weather is not very predictable, so thick wooden frames or metal frames will be study enough to withstand wind, rain, snow, and whatever else we might endure. Also think about the weight of the scarecrow itself. Will it be too light to stand outside for a month? Will it be too heavy to move into place? There are lots of how-to guides online if you run into any problems! Here is a simple how-to guide from DIY Network to help get you started https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/making-a-scarecrow
To be considered a scarecrow, you MUST incorporate straw into some aspect of your design. You do not have to build only using straw though! Check out Pinterest for inspiration and get together with members of your business or organization to come up with really fun, creative ideas! The sky's the limit! We are SO EXCITED to see this year’s entries. You guys never disappoint!