by Scott Butler and John Dowd
According to Scarecrow Festival organizers, this year’s may have been one of their most attended events ever. Under cerulean sky and warm temperatures, Stevensville held its annual Scarecrow Festival. This year, because of traffic congestion and possible danger to pedestrians, all scarecrows were downtown. Although some people in attendance said that they missed walking out on the bike path, it was potentially a benefit to local businesses to have the scarecrows scattered along Main Street.
An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people came out for the event, which according to organizers was as many or more than in past years. The event included numerous activities, like a carved pumpkin contest, wagon rides and a Monster Mash dance for folks of all ages. A popular attraction was a model train display in the Kohl building. It was a good opportunity to hear many older people talk about their love of trains.
This year there were 58 scarecrows, more than in most years past, but not quite breaking last year’s record of over 60. The event saw huge competition, but the winners were selected by vote. For the Business category, the winners were: “Early Robotic Surgery,” in first place, by StoryBrook Medicine and Family Pharmacy, “Keeper of the Flower Garden,” in second, by Schultz Flower Farm, and “Don’t Let Your Health Become ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,’” in third place, by Lifespan Family Medicine.
For the Nonprofit, Individual, Family category, the winners were: “The Sphinx,” first place, by Lone Rock Homeschool Group, “Home is Where the Hive Is,” second place, by Hiker Babes, and “Miss Marketeer,” third place, by Stevensville Harvest Valley Farmers Market.
For the Kids category, the winners were: “Number One Fan,” first place, by Tidus Broadwater and “Piggly Wiggly Family,” second place, by Leister Kids.
For the coveted Artistic Merit category, chosen by secret judges, the overall winners were: “Curious George’s No Noggin Scarecrow,” in first place, done by Meadowlark Dental Care. “The Keeper of the Flower Garden” scarecrow came in second place, which was done by Schultz Flower Farm.
The winners for the eight and under Carved Pumpkin Contest were: Nora Wright, eight years old for most artistic, Josie Wilkerson, seven, for most original, Marla Budd, six, for spookiest pumpkin, Tucker Bischof, six, for most unique and Whitaker & Wendel Brown, eight and four, for silliest pumpkin.
The winners for the 9-12 Carved Pumpkin Contest were: Alex Turner, nine, for silliest face, Veda McCarthy 10, for spookiest, Zaydn Williams, 12, for most unique, Ireland Corbett, 12, for most original and Samual Noordermeer, for most artistic.
According to Loey Knapp, chair of the Scarecrow Festival Committee, and whose husband started the event, this year’s Scarecrow Festival went extremely well. She said that it may have been the biggest attendance ever. According to her, just for the scavenger hunt alone they needed over 700 copies for the hunt. She was happy to see everyone come out and said, “This is for everybody!”
Saturday evening was the annual Scarecrow Brewfest. Jim Edwards, owner of Burnt Fork Market, has been the driving force behind organizing the Brewfest. Not just an opportunity to drink beer, the money raised goes to good causes. Of the donations, $300 went to Ally’s Allies (for medical expenses related to cancer treatment), $500 to Stevensville American Legion Post 94, $300 to the Stevensville Pool, $300 to the Stevensville Civic Club and approximately $12,000 more was raised to light up the bike path to Stevensville. According to Edwards, many people walk and bike the path daily and lighting will make it more secure.