Submissions yet to be unveiled; volunteers still needed
By Cam Cronkite
Staff Writer
The 13th annual scarecrow fest will take place Saturday in downtown Delavan.
Organizers say the community-oriented, family event gives residents a chance to get together, be creative and take pride in their historic community, and most importantly, generates commerce for downtown business.
“It brings a lot of people downtown”, said Jill Lubick, owner of Lubick Gallery and Gifts, 117 S. Third St.
She has been involved with Scarecrow Fest since its inception in 2001 – the same year the gallery opened. With all of its goings-on, the festival creates a lot of foot traffic for area retailers, she said.
The festival is a one-day affair in downtown Delavan. Businesses and private citizens are encouraged to express their creativity by constructing a scarecrow and submitting it to the Downtown Delavan Business Association for judging in the competition.
The guidelines are very relaxed, and participants are encouraged to “let their imaginations run wild,” according to the DBA. Submissions are placed outside on lampposts downtown, and typically begin popping up in early September. On Saturday, the general public can vote on their favorite scarecrow by submitting a ballot. Votes will be tallied at 2:30 p.m., and a winner will be crowned.
There will be an array of other events on Saturday as well. The Delavan-Delavan-Lake Area Chamber of Commerce will host pumpkin painting. The pie and cake auction will be brought back for a third year, though it may be smaller this year than in the previous two, said Lorie Wuttke, owner of Remember When and Scarecrow Fest organizer. Face painting for children and a skateboard competition hosted by the Delavan-Darien Optimist Club are scheduled. One of the most popular activities, “build-a-scarecrow,” will also return, and will be available to children for $10. All other activities are free.
“Some families put the scarecrow in the stroller and the kid ends up walking,” said Wuttke. “It is a process remembering how to attach the body of the scarecrows.”
There will be musical performances at various locations throughout the day. Live entertainment will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at Beall Jewelers, 305 E. Walworth Ave., and noon to 3:30 p.m. at Tower Park. The Dang Its will also perform at 5 p.m. at the Phoenix Park Bandshell, with Piper Road headlining from 7 to 8 p.m.
The full list of events is as follows:
Water Tower Park activities:
• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Craft fair and flea market;
• 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.– Dance Factory dancers;
• noon to 3:30 p.m.– Music by Blackwater;
• 1 p.m.– Third annual pie and cake auction; pumpkin painting.
South corner of Second Street and Walworth Avenue activities:
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Build a scarecrow and take it home.
Supplies will be provided to make a scarecrow;
• 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.– Free children’s face painting by Whistles the Clown;
• 2:30 p.m.– Duck Pond Raffle.
Corner of South Third Street and Walworth Avenue:
• 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.– Music by The Siblings.
Phoenix Park Bandshell activities:
• 5 p.m.– Music by The Dang-Its;
• 7 to 8 p.m.– Music by Piper Road Spring Band.
Other activities
• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.– Sidewalk sales by Delavan merchants;
• Scarecrows will be “on parade” in Historic downtown Delavan through early October;
• Optimist skateboard competition at Andy’s Skate Park. Visit ddoptimist.wordpress.com/ for more information.
Wuttke said Scarecrow Fest began in 2001 as the replacement for the disbanded ColorFest. The Duck Race was established in an attempt to raise funds for Scarecrow Fest and was an enormous success, she said. Donations raised from the race benefit the Delavan Historical Society and the Downtown Business Association, and are used to pay for bricks, flowerpots and other downtown restorations.
Raffle tickets are $2 or three for $5, and can be purchased at Bradley’s Department Store, Lauren’s Antique and Art Centre, Lubick Gallery, Gill Family Chiropractic, Brick Street Market, Scene II, Del-Mart or Remember When. First place is $200, second place is $100 and third place is $50. There are also many other prizes that have been donated by downtown businesses.
All of last year’s placing participants are assumed to participate again this year, except for Bibliomaniacs, the now-defunct bookseller that placed first last year. Perennial winner and last year’s second place participant, Rebecca J. Jutz, is also expected to return.
JoAnn Thies, of Bradley’s Department Store, said she is also very confident in her submission but declined to reveal its theme before Saturday.
“Most businesses don’t like to put them out until three to four days before because of vandalism,” said Wuttke.
The DBA is still looking for volunteers to contribute.
“We need help desperately. We can always use more volunteers,” said Wuttke.
To get involved or for more information, visit discoverdelavan.org/scarecrow-fest/ or call Wuttke at 728-8670.
