In Edmonds, scarecrows are something else. They’re everywhere, a charming, home-spun part of October harvest, inviting you to check them out and vote your favorites. Everyone wins, really.
Edmonds Marsh Monster, The Kraken and The Tin Man, Mermaid and Mummy, Spider Queen of Elm Street, Waldo, and all their scarecrow friends dot the landscape… in yards and windows, from houses sitting pretty, high above grassy overlooks, to retail shops up and down quaint walkways leading toward the Port of Edmonds' welcoming entryway, to the great Salish Sea and beyond.
You know it’s really fall when the leaves, pumpkin spice latte, and scarecrows come out. In Edmonds, the annual Scarecrow Festival signals the start of something good.
In its ninth year, the Edmonds Historical Museum’s Scarecrow Festival is already in fall’s full swing, with a full roster of creatively imagined and executed scarecrows in six categories, including residential, retail, and arts/government/school/civic.
Edward Jones has a thought-provoking entry in the financial/insurance/real estate category, cleverly repurposing food packages for its scarecrow dress and underlying message (“Food Insecurity Can Be Scary”), on 313 Main St. The staff there is also collecting non-perishable food for the Edmonds Food Bank through Oct., putting their money where their mouth is.
Everywhere you look is a friendly reminder to relax, let loose, enjoy, and have fun. Stroll, kick up sunset-colored leaves, take plenty of pictures, and vote by smartphone or paper ballot (available at the Edmonds Historical Museum) for the scarecrows that catch your eye. Voting is open now till Nov. 1. Winners, announced Nov. 3, receive bragging rights, commemorative certificates, and for the top prize, a ghoulish goodie bag.
The Scarecrow Festival is a beloved holiday tradition sponsored by the Edmonds Historical Museum (Edmonds-South Snohomish County Historical Society and Museum), in partnership with DEMA, The Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, the City of Edmonds, schools, and arts groups.
The Scarecrow Festival also ushers in Halloween Trick-Or-Treat Night, one of the biggest events of the year — put on by the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and the Edmonds Chamber Foundation. This year, the Night lasts an entire week, Oct. 26-31, as participating businesses delight in handing candy out to costumed children and children-at-heart.
Plus...a virtual costume contest, with voting now through Nov. 5, noon, and an in-person pumpkin-carving contest Oct. 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Edmonds Waterfront Center.
Happy Halloween, Edmonds!
Scarecrow entries from the Edmonds Historical Museum:
Feature photo, “The Hayman at Leftcraft,” entered by Leftcraft, 519 Main St. — Food/Beverage Business;
“Death by Facebook: How Zombies Are Made (A Cautionary Tale),” by Maria Montalvo, Strom Peterson, and Marjie Bowker — Residential;
“Chef Tin Man” by The Wooden Spoon, 104 5th Ave. S. — Retail Business;
“Food Insecurity Can Be Scary” by Edward Jones, 313 Main St. — Financial/Insurance/Real Estate; and
“An Edmonds Kind of Mummy” by Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, 121 5th Ave. N. — Arts/Government/School/Civic.
