Local businesses and groups in two Central Coast regions will be displaying unique scarecrow creations outside storefronts and other locations throughout the month of October.
Both the Santa Ynez Valley Scarecrow Fest and the Cambria Scarecrow Festival will kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The two events invite their respective participants to create their own unique straw-stuffed figures. Special awards will await the scarecrows that earn the most votes during polls held in conjunction with both fests.
According to the Santa Ynez Valley Scarecrow Fest’s website, residents and tourists of six townships—Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang—will have the chance to vote for their favorite scarecrows of the valley-wide competition.
While named after Cambria, the annual Cambria Scarecrow Festival features scarecrow displays in both Cambria and San Simeon. According to press materials, about 200 scarecrows line the streets of both areas each year—specifically Cambria’s east and west villages, Moonstone Beach Drive, and San Simeon’s business district.
For more info on the two festivals, as well as each event’s scarecrow design guidelines and registration details, visit syvscarecrows.com or cambriascarecrows.com, respectively.