Scarecrows usher in fall season at 12th annual fest

The summer of 2025 is officially over, but judging by the enthusiasm for this year’s Scarecrow Festival, it won’t soon be missed.

Community members welcomed the coming of autumn with open arms on Sunday during the Bourbonnais Township Park District’s 12th annual Scarecrow Festival at Perry Farm Park, sponsored by St. Mary’s Hospital.

“I think it’s one of the best things they do in town,” said Mike Sample, of Manteno. “It brings everybody together, all the kids, and just to see the smiles on their faces, it is awesome.”

The white fencing around the park is now adorned with 127 scarecrows crafted by local businesses, families, schools and nonprofits.

The scarecrows will be available for viewing through the end of October.

The Community Arts Council hosted its annual Fall Art Stroll in conjunction with the festival. About two dozen local artists set up shop in the park. Food trucks were also available.

Changes this year

While it was largely the same festival that locals have come to love, a few changes made a big difference this year.

The most noticeable change was that attendees were able to utilize the new 10-foot-wide path in front of the Perry Farm House.

The path extends south to Perry Street, where it turns and heads west to the entrance of the park, giving pedestrians a safer vantage point away from Kennedy Drive traffic.

“It’s so scary when you were driving before, because it’s so close to the road,” said Sample, who attended Sunday with his adult daughter. “Now that [the sidewalk] is back farther, it is so much better, 100%.”

People stroll past the scare scrows on display at Perry Farm during the Fall Art Stroll and scare crow voting on Sunday, September 21, 2025. (Nicholas Holstein for Shaw Local)

This was also the first year the festival was held on Sunday rather than Saturday.

Several attendees said this was their first time visiting the scarecrows on opening day, despite coming to check them out every year.

“I like the Sunday instead of the Saturday because I’ve had stuff going on every time on Saturday, so the Sunday is nice,” said Nikki Eilts, of Kankakee.

Additionally, the fest’s hours were extended to 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the past, hours have been from 10 a.m. to noon.

This year, those participating in the People’s Choice Awards had two voting stations instead of one.

Votes cost $1 each, with the funds going to the St. Mary’s Hospital Breast Cancer Foundation.

Cherie Smolkovich, the BTPD’s director of recreation and marketing, said that 769 votes were cast, for a total of $769 raised for the foundation.

Smolkovich was pleased with the event’s turnout and response.

“People are very happy, it seems like,” she said while helping attendees cast their votes.

Smolkovich said this has been one of the larger years in terms of the number of scarecrow entries received.

A scary good time

Cheyenne Golden, of St. Anne, who attended with her father, Mike Sample, said she participates in the festival each year.

“I just love it for the community,” she said. “All the kids love it.”

This year, Golden made a scarecrow inspired by the horror film “Jeepers Creepers.” Her favorite entry was the scarecrow modeled after the children’s book series “Frog and Toad,” crafted by the Bradley Public Library.

“A themed scarecrow is like, top-tier scarecrow,” Golden said. “All the little details, that all makes it. [I like when] the whole space is used; it’s not one stick figure.”