The scarecrows—a man and his dog—in front of Wandering Dog Wine Bar in Solvang are made out of corks, bottle caps, and wine bottles. At least, those items are visible to passersby. Underneath that outer layer are the items which make up the scarecrows’ bases, such as an old gift card rack and crates.
These guys are made out of recycled materials, which just so happens to be one of the categories in Solvang’s fifth annual Scarecrow Fest, running through Nov. 10. There are six categories in all and 118 scarecrows spread around the city’s streets to vote on.
“It’s fun, and it’s competitive,” said Susan Williams, owner of Wandering Dog. “It’s the same thing with the trees at Christmastime; everyone gets so excited because everything looks so nice.”
Williams and fellow downtown Solvang business owner Sue Moualim—of Artistic Pony Studios—spearheaded the first event in 2010, when only 40 scarecrows populated city streets. Now the contest has grown outside of city limits and become a friendly competition between Santa Ynez Valley towns. Last year, Valley Pets in Buellton won the valley-wide competition with its depiction of the headless horseman astride a rearing black horse.
“It was huge and just really well done,” Williams said.
There are about 220 scarecrows scattered throughout Buellton, Los Olivos, Solvang, Santa Ynez, and Ballard. Each town has its own competition, with its own rules and judges, and then the winners face off for the valley crown.
In Solvang, there is a set of judges that will pick the best scarecrow in the city, plus a ballot that visitors can fill out to vote for their favorites in six categories.
Williams said the festival is a good way to bring visitors to the city between busy seasons, and she added that there are people who come back to vote on their favorite scarecrows year after year.
“It’s actually been very successful,” Williams said. “Last year, I heard people in the hotel business say it had a good impact on business. This year, I don’t know, it’s too early to tell.”
Managing Editor Camillia Lanham is making her scarecrows out of old newspapers right now. Contact her at [email protected].
