Scarecrow Festival

Fall festivals can be a lot of fun for two. They are a great excuse to get out of the house and enjoy the cool air and the fall colours. The Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay was something new to us. As we mentioned in our last post, we’ve gone to see the pumpkin people for the past three years, but we weren’t sure how these scarecrows would compare. So we jumped in the car on a sunny Saturday and drove to Mahone Bay to take a look.

HE SAID:

I tend to be the kind of person who enjoys traditions. I didn’t grow up in a family that had very many traditions, but for some reason I really enjoy them. I love the fact that every October we go get our pumpkins and our pumpkin fudge from the same spot and then go drive around and look at the pumpkin people. It’s just what we do. So when Susan suggested the Scarecrow Festival, I have to admit I was worried that:

a) it would mess up our pumpkin traditions (not good people, not good) or

b) it wouldn’t measure up to greatness that is the pumpkin people

Well, I’m pleased to report that I was wrong on both counts.

The Scarecrow Festival has a totally different feel than the Kentville Harvest Festival, largely because of how the towns are laid out. Going to see the pumpkin people involves driving along and enjoying the scenery while getting out to look around every now and then, while the Scarecrow Festival involves more walking, exploring, and bumping into people you know on Twitter.

I wasn’t expecting the scarecrows to be done up in such detail. Most of the celebrity scarecrows were easily recognizable, and even the more random ones were done very nicely. I think my favorite was the vampire one, at least I think it was a vampire. It just seemed so odd to see all these nice happy looking scarecrows and then over near the water is a vampire chasing down some innocent bystander scarecrows.

The other great thing about the festival was all the nice little shops along the way. Every shop is different from the next and they all have something worth looking at. One shop even had cookies and coffee available for it’s shoppers which I thought was really great. Some of the other activities going on were an antique fair, an old fashioned pie baking contest, and at night there is a “magical pumpkin path” which features a display of carved pumpkins that are lit up.

I had a really great time at the Scarecrow Festival and will definitely go back next year. If you are looking for something fun to do for two, do a little research to see if there are any fall festivals going on in your area. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy the fall weather together.

SHE SAID:

When I first heard about the Great Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay, I knew we had to go check it out. I was a little worried it might be kind of lame, but it proved to be quite enjoyable.

When I think of scarecrows I think of the ones my Grandmother used to craft out of a broomstick, an old flannel shirt and aluminum pie plates. The scarecrows of Mahone Bay are of another class altogether. For one, they actually have faces and some of them are even famous. Some stand alone, while others are grouped with fellow politicians or musicians.

Of the thirty or so we saw, my favourite was the Michael Jackson scarecrow outside of Sea Witch Cottage. The designer captured him perfectly in scarecrow form, complete with black shoes, white socks and mangled nose. Thriller was even playing in the background. Oh, sweet, straw-stuffed Michael.

If you’re thinking of going next year, I would consider going early. We got there around 10 am and it was a nice leisurely walk, but by the time we were ready to leave 2 hours later, the sidewalks were packed and traffic was crawling. We didn’t get to check out everything that was going on during the Scarecrow Festival, but I’ll be sure to check out the Magical Pumpkin Path for pumpkin carving inspiration.

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