The autumn event that everyone has circled on their calendar is almost here! The 39th Annual St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend, presented by St. Charles Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, is right around the corner taking place from Friday, October 11th through Sunday, October 13th. This community celebration is the perfect way to welcome the fall season, with an ample amount of family-friendly activities, live entertainment, and of course, scarecrows, for all to enjoy. We're here to let you in on everything you need to know about this long-standing tradition in this community. Keep reading below to learn more!
Photo 1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography. Photo 2 Courtesy of @Rachelkawate
First things first: this three day event has a lot taking place, and trust us when we say that you do not want to miss a thing. If you're coming from out of town to experience this award-winning event, your best bet is to find a place to stay the night right here in St. Charles. St. Charles is home to numerous lodging options, including the historic Hotel Baker that sits in the heart of downtown right by the beautiful Fox River. Whatever your accommodations needs may be, there is a perfect place in St. Charles for you. To view places to stay in St. Charles, please click the button below.
Photos Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
Now that you've secured a place to stay for the weekend, it's time to learn about the centerpiece of the event: The Scarecrow Contest! This year, there are over 120+ scarecrow submissions in the Scarecrow Contest - giving attendees plenty of options to choose their favorites! Voting for a scarecrow is simple: start by picking up a voting ballot from an Information Booth either by the Municipal Building, the Lincoln Park Family Zone, or at the Riverside Activity Zone. There are four categories in the Scarecrow Contest: Individual, Business, Not-for-Profit/Club/School, and Mega/Mechanical. As you explore the different zones, you'll be able to vote for one entry in each category. Once complete, you can drop off your ballot at an Information Booth or at the ballot box on 1st Street. Don't forget to grab your "I Voted" sticker to show off to your friends and family!
You can also vote for your favorite scarecrows by simply using the FREE Travel St. Charles App. To begin, download the app and create an account. Once this is complete, click on the 'Challenges' tab where you'll see a Challenge for each of the scarecrow categories. Click on the category you are looking for, select the scarecrow you want to vote for, press 'Scan QR Code' and scan the QR code found on the scarecrows tag. Once this is done, your vote will be sent! Need a visual on how this works? Click HERE to watch the voting on the app!
Yes, The Scarecrow Contest is one of the major elements of this weekend. However, there is so much taking place in each of the zones that everyone, regardless of age, will love!
Family Fun Booths
Photo 2 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
In the Lincoln Park Family Zone, sponsored by St. Charles Bank & Trust, you'll notice right off the bat that there are many booths set up from local businesses. These booths are an incredible opportunity to not only learn a little bit about each business, but they'll each have a family-friendly fall activity to take part in. Some of the activities you'll come across are Pumpkin Bowling, Giant Operation, and Bozo Buckets. On top of that, at the St. Charles Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram's Family Fun Booth, you can take part in a variety of exciting science experiments, thanks to American Science & Surplus!
Stage Performances
Photo 1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
While you're at the Lincoln Park Family Zone, you'll want to make sure to venture over to the stage, as there is going to be some incredible entertainment all weekend long. During the event, you can watch and support a variety of local dance teams putting on exceptional performances for all the attendees at the event - but that's not all! You can even unwind and listen to some terrific live music performances from Dennis O'Brien, Leslie Hunt and the Hunt House Showcase, Hillbilly Rockstarz, and more!
Roaming Entertainment
Photos Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
As you're exploring this zone, taking part in all the fun fall activities, and relishing in the incredible performances, there will even be a variety of roaming entertainment to keep you amused while doing so! Be on the look-out for the Windy City Ghostbusters who will be patrolling the area for any ghosts on the loose, or be 'wowed' by the Magic of Scott Piner with his engaging and interactive magic! These are just a couple of the many different roaming entertainment that you'll find throughout the weekend.
Just like in the Lincoln Park Family Zone, the Riverside Activity Zone, sponsored by McNally's Heating & Cooling, will be filled to the brim full of activities that will get you in the spirit of the season!
Family Fun Booths
Photo 1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
Trust us when we say you do not want to leave Scarecrow Weekend without making a visit to McNally's Heating & Cooling's booth in the Activity Zone. Throughout the entire weekend, they are going to have fun activities taking place, including tarot card readings, a dog adoption event, and more. They'll be also handing out goodies for you to take home, as well! Need to refresh with some water? You'll be able to pick up a free water at the information booth, thanks to Theriault Booth LLC Attorneys at Law, by simply following their Instagram! Plus, don't miss stopping by Gerald Subaru's booth, and Trader Joe's booth to sample some delight-fall seasonal favorites!
Activities
Photo 1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
And of course, the Riverside Activity Zone certainly lives up to it's name, as their are numerous things to take part in in this area of the event. Looking for a bit of a challenge? Try your luck at climbing the 26 foot rock climbing wall, or try your navigational skills in our inflatable corn maze! You can also show off your creativity skills by painting a pumpkin, or building your very own scarecrow ($10)! In terms of entertainment, you will not be disappointed as John Measner will have his Magic Truck performing some jaw-dropping tricks, and an Interactive Family DJ who will sure to get you on your feet. You'll find all of this and more in the Riverside Activity Zone.
Photo Opportunities
Photos Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
There's no worse feeling than living an event and realizing that you didn't get a snapshot of your time at the event. Don't let that be you this year, and make sure to visit the Riverside Activity Zone! Here, there will be a vibrant butterfly photo opportunity that serves as the perfect backdrop for your Scarecrow Weekend photo. You'll also see amazing straw sculptures that are from Mt. Morris' U.S. National Straw Sculpting Competition. Not only are these outstanding to admire, but they also make for great photos, too!
With the beautiful newly-renovated 1st Street Plaza being open, it only makes sense that they'll be lots to experience there during Scarecrow Weekend! Throughout the entirety of the weekend, attendees can listen to the sounds of live music from some very talented performers, including 13 Days and Phase V! On Friday, you can even have the chance to meet some exciting mascots, thanks to the St. Charles Public Library! From 1pm-3pm, you can meet some awesome dinosaurs right on the plaza, and from 4pm-6pm, Bluey and Mario will be making an appearance to meet all their fans! Before leaving the zone, you have to stop by our brand-new photo opportunity to snap a photo that will perfectly capture the spirit of the event.
What New Scarecrow Weekend Elements Are You Most Excited For?
Rock Climbing Wall
Inflatable Corn Maze
Live Music on 1st Street Plaza
New Photo Opportunity
Photos Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
Having over 120 scarecrows to discover at the event, chances are that you'll need to refuel with some delicious food and drink! This year, you can find food options in a few different locations. At the Lincoln Park Family Zone, Just Kabobs and Taco Urbano will be there with food available for purchase, along with Windy Acres Farm selling autumn treats! In the front Municipal Parking Lot, St. Charles Kiwanis and St. Charles Breakfast Rotary will also be selling food and drinks, as well. Over at the Riverside Activity Zone, Windy Acres will have another tent selling treats, too! We also encourage you to visit our local restaurants while your in town, as St. Charles offers a wind-range of delicious cuisine, an ideal destination for any foodie.
Photo 1 Courtesy of Brigette Burgman of Nomadic Soul Photography
One of the best aspects of Scarecrow Weekend is seeing how all the local businesses get involved. This year, many St. Charles establishments are having special sales, promotions, and events in honor of the weekend! While it's a blast to view all the creative scarecrows being displayed around town, it is also important to support local, as small businesses are what makes this town so great! To view promotions taking place during the event, please click the button below.
Want to see some fantastic scarecrows from previous years? Browse through the slideshow below to admire all the creativity that were put into these entries!
While you're already in St. Charles experiencing all that Scarecrow Weekend has to offer, this is also the perfect opportunity to take part in our Tortilla Tour hosted on the FREE Travel St. Charles App! This challenge is not only delicious, as you'll have to visit 6 of the Mexican Restaurants in town, but if you complete it, you'll win a free bottle of exclusive hot sauce! Please click above to learn more about how to participate!