If you drove past Perry Farm Park on North Kennedy Drive on Wednesday, you saw a sure sign that fall is drawing near.

Bourbonnais Township Park District staff were busy placing cornstalks on the white fencing around the park.

It means it’s time for the annual Scarecrow Festival.

“It’s a sure sign of fall when the cornstalks go up at Perry Farm Park,” BTPD Director of Recreation and Marketing Cherie Smolkovich said while working, tying up groups of five to six stalks to each fence post.

“It’s one of the things I look forward to in the fall.”

The cornstalks are donated by a local farmer, Smolkovich said. This is Smolkovich‘s fifth year working the festivities.

The 12th edition takes place on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Perry Farm. St. Mary’s Hospital sponsors the event.

There will be 25 vendors, and several food trucks will be on hand.

For the first time, the Community Arts Council will be hosting its annual Fall Art Stroll in conjunction.

This will be the first year the festival is being held on Sunday. There will be 127 scarecrows the public can view through the end of October.

The setup will take place on Friday and Saturday, Smolkovich said.

People attending the festival on Sunday can vote for the People’s Choice Awards. Each vote costs a dollar.

Funds raised during voting will go towards St. Mary’s Hospital Breast Cancer Foundation.

A group of judges will also select the top three entries in three categories.

Some businesses, organizations and families take the contest seriously, Smolkovich said.

“They’ll start planning in early June what they’re going to do. It is truly amazing what they come up with,” she said.

This is BTPD Executive Director Mike O’Shea’s second year.

“The Scarecrow Festival is a great BTPD tradition. We all look forward to seeing everyone’s creativity. Lots of hard work goes into the event behind the scenes,” O’Shea said.

“The best part of this event is seeing the payoff, which is, the large amount of people it will bring to Perry Farm, viewing the scarecrows, walking our trails and newly installed path and overall exploring our historic park. It’s great to be a part of,” he said.

For more information, visit btpd.org/park-district-events/scarecrow-festival.