Staff Report
Santa Ynez Valley merchants welcomed the fall season by kicking off the annual Scarecrow Fest and contest on Oct. 1. Residents and tourists are invited to vote on their favorite creations throughout the month.
This year’s contest will for the sixth time include the valley communities of Ballard, Buellton and Los Olivos as well as Solvang, the town that started the Scarecrow Fest. Scarecrows can also be found around Santa Ynez and Los Alamos during October.
The month-long festival will run through Oct. 31, during which time visitors and residents are encouraged to play, stay and enjoy the scarecrow sights and many community events.
Those events include the inaugural Solvang Grape Stomp on Saturday, Oct. 13, and the Solvang 3rd Wednesday Wine & Beer Walk on Oct. 17.
The winning scarecrows from each town, crafted by local businesses, will be eligible for the “2018 Harvest Cup: Best in the Valley” title and trophy, which will be announced at a Nov. 14 ceremony.
Hampton Inn & Suites of Buellton and the Santa Ynez Valley was the 2017 SYV Scarecrow Fest overall winner.
Each of the participating towns holds its own Scarecrow Fest and associated contest to select a winner that will represent each town in the quest for the valley-wide Harvest Cup trophy.
The Valley’s first Scarecrow Fest was held in Solvang in 2010, initiated by the Solvang 3rd Wednesday committee.
For more information, go to www.syvscarecrows.comor follow the event on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Scarecrow voters and visitors are encouraged to use the hashtag #syvscarecrows in on-line discussions of the SYV Scarecrow Fest.
For more information, contact Anna Ferguson-Sparksat 1-877-327-2656or info@stilettomarketing.com.
