Scarecrows to welcome visitors next month as part of St. Charles Scarecrow Festival

The 36th annual Scarecrow Festival, presented by AAA, will bring entertainment for all to enjoy in downtown St. Charles Oct. 8-10.

Scarecrow contest entries will be on display beginning at noon Oct. 8. The scarecrows will be placed throughout the downtown and paired with businesses.

All Scarecrow Festival visitors can vote in the Scarecrow contest to help decide the winners in four categories: Business, Mega/Mechanical, Non-Profits and Schools, and Individuals.

St. Charles Business Alliance Executive Director Jenna Sawicki said it will be a great weekend for locals and visitors alike to come out to Scarecrow Fest.

“This year, we’ve worked hard on continuing the success of Scarecrow Fest and seeing how we can make it a benefit for all to enjoy,” Sawicki said in a news release from the St. Charles Business Alliance. “As for the contest, I can’t wait to see what our contestants are bringing to downtown St Charles.”

Scarecrow Contest applications are still being accepted until Sept. 27, and the print and online forms can be found at scarecrowfest.com/scarecrowcontest.

The Family Zone, sponsored by St. Charles Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram, is a new addition to the Scarecrow Festival and will replace the carnival with live entertainment and family activities throughout the weekend. It will also feature a professional pumpkin carver, giant bubble artist, performances by local dance groups, face painting, a balloon artist and more. For the full entertainment lineup, go to scarecrowfest.com.

The St. Charles Business Alliance is also looking for volunteers for Scarecrow Fest. Volunteers will be needed to help work the two info booths: one in Lincoln Park and the other at the Municipal building. Volunteers can sign up on the event’s SignUpGenius page at signupgenius.com/go/10c0d49acaa2ba3fdcf8-scarecrow1 for two to three hour slots throughout the weekend. There will also be a need for volunteers to assist with the clean-up from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Volunteers can sign up until Oct. 1. Any questions on volunteering for the event can be sent to Hayley Kahle at hkahle@stcalliance.org.