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Scarecrow Festival takes place Oct. 19-20
The 16th Annual Scarecrow Festival will take place Oct. 19 and 20 in Centre Square. The many activities of the festival include a jack-o-lantern contest, a scarecrow contest, a scary hair contest, and haunted walking tours of the downtown area.
Alice Kwiatkowski, owner of Connexions Fine Arts and Antiques Gallery, serves as chairperson for the Scarecrow Festival committee. She says, “The Scarecrow Festival is an interactive community activity to celebrate the passage to the autumnal season. It is a great way to be outside having fun and to introduce children to being involved in the community.”
Kwiatkowski explained that the Scarecrow Festival also serves as a celebration of local culture. One focus is Easton’s agricultural past. “Since the scarecrow is known as the guardian of the crops,” says Kwiatkowski, “the festival allows us to celebrate Easton’s farmer heritage while opening the door for great social interaction.”
At the art tent, children are encouraged to make trick-or-treat bags, which many proudly use to hold their candy on Halloween.
Besides the contests and activities, the haunted walking tour is particularly popular. Headed by Alicia Wozniak of Easton Yoga, the walking tour is, according to Kwiatkowski, “a great way for people to walk downtown at night and hear stories of Easton’s folklore.”
While part of the tour is fiction, other stories are based on historical fact, such as the story of a downtown businessman who, fearing monetary loss and ruin, poisoned the tea that his family was drinking. 80-100 people usually partake in the haunted walking tours.
Pat Porter of Pearly Baker’s Ale House also plays a significant role in the planning of the festival. As one of the original founders of the festival, Porter continues to play a major role in “holding it all together,” commented Kwiatkowski.
Kwiatkowski feels it is important for local businesses to give back to the community. “It is our obligation to provide the community with culturally-stimulating activities that thank them for supporting our businesses.”
Lafayette students and community members are encouraged to participate in the festival and volunteer for the haunted walking tours. For more information about volunteering, contact Wozniak or visit the festival’s myspace page.
The Scarecrow Festival is sponsored by the Easton Farmers’ Market and more information about the schedule and registration for Scarecrow Festival contests can be found at its website.
Festival Schedule:
Fri., Oct. 19
6-7:30 p.m. Scarecrow Clinic
6:30 p.m. Jack-O-Lantern Contest (must be registered by 6 p.m.)
7 p.m. Scary Hair Competition
8 p.m. Haunted Walking Tours
Sat., Oct. 20
10 a.m.- noon Farmer’s Market Events
Free Children’s Art Tent: face painting, bag decorating, sidewalk chalk
10 a.m.- noon Scarecrow Clinic; Scarecrow Photo Booth
Noon – Scarecrow Contest (must be registered by 11:45 a.m.)
2-6 p.m. Bizarre Bazaar
Free pumpkin bowling, free witches’ cauldron of prizes, tarot card reading, henna/body paint, free psychic balloon fortunes, free Halloween story reading, tattoo and body art competition
8 p.m. Haunted Walking Tours