St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend kicks off Oct. 11

The 39th annual Scarecrow Weekend returns to downtown St. Charles Friday, Oct. 11 through Sunday, Oct. 13.

Families will enjoy a wide variety of fall-themed entertainment and activities for all ages.

According to a news release from the St. Charles Business Alliance, which sponsors the event, the centerpiece of the festival is the Scarecrow Contest, which takes place throughout the weekend. More than 120 scarecrows will represent four categories: Individual/Family, Business, Club/Not-for-Profit/School and Mega/Mechanical. The scarecrows can be found on Riverside Avenue, Lincoln Park and 1st Street. Participants may vote for their favorite scarecrow in each of the categories.

The Family Zone will be located in Lincoln Park and will have live music, dance teams, family fun booths, roaming entertainment, including the Windy City Ghostbusters and the magic of Scott Piner and performances from Leslie Hunt and the Hunt House Showcase and Hillbilly Rockstarz.

The Activity Zone will be located on Riverside Avenue between Main Street and Illinois Avenue. Here, visitors will find more family-friendly fall activities including Scarecrow-to-Go, Rock-Climbing Wall, Inflatable Corn Maze, Interactive Family DJ and much more.

On the 1st Street Plaza, attendees can enjoy free live music entertainment throughout the weekend. Some of the performances include Phase V, The Frizz, and 13 Days. Plus, visitors can capture their time at Scarecrow Weekend with a brand-new photo opportunity that will also be located on the 1st Street Plaza.

The St. Charles Breakfast Rotary and the St. Charles Kiwanis Club will have food for purchase during the weekend in the front Municipal Parking lot. Just Kabobs, Taco Urbano and Windy Acres Farm will be selling food all weekend in the Lincoln Park Family Zone. Many other local businesses will be offering special sales and promotions. To view these, visit www.scarecrowfest.com/salesandspecials.

“Scarecrow Weekend is a wonderful chance for the community to come together to celebrate the fall season,” Jenna Sawicki, executive director of the St. Charles Business Alliance, said in the release. “We are very excited to be adding even more family-friendly activities to this year’s event, as well as live entertainment and delicious food options from local businesses and non-profit organizations.”

To find more information regarding Scarecrow Weekend, visit www.scarecrowfest.com. For further inquiries, please contact the St. Charles Business Alliance at 630-443-3967.