June 30, 2025
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Scarecrow Fest coming to Ottawa on Saturday

‘Scarecrow patch’ will show off homemade scarecrows

By Michael Urbanec

Abraham Lincoln, who once walked the streets of Ottawa, was represented as a scarecrow at a previous Scarecrow Festival. This year, all the scarecrows will be on display at Washington Square as the festival runs alongside the Starved Rock Country Festival of the Arts.

A fall festival and a scarecrow patch are coming to town Saturday in the downtown park in Washington Square in Ottawa.

Anybody can make a scarecrow to be entered into a contest. The creator of the top scarecrow for a nonprofit group will win $100. Additionally, creator of the top scarecrow for a classroom will win $50, and the creator for the top scarecrow for a family will with $50 and passes to Roxy Cinemas in Ottawa.

Businesses also can submit a scarecrow to compete for a Rosette, and the business name will on display all day in the park with the work of art.

The theme this year is Hooray for Hollywood, and an entry can be submitted by going to pickus.ottawail.com/event/scarecrow-festival.

The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, will have a magician, a petting zoo and vendors in the park, as well as puppet shows at Prairie Fox Books, 719 La Salle St. The Festival of the Arts also will be going on all day and have films showing at the Roxy, live music at the Jordan block, and arts and crafts at Washington Square.