Geneseo’s Scarecrow Row event returns for 2022
Body and Face Day Spa Scarecrow on Main Street courtesy of Photo Editor Mollie Wadhams
If you’ve been on Main Street throughout this month, you’ve likely noticed the assortment of scarecrows dotting the sidewalks; from spooky to sweet, skeletal to pumpkin-headed, these scarecrows have added a festive touch to Geneseo’s central street.
The scarecrows were installed between Sept. 23 and Oct. 2 by local businesses who will complete to win a contest for the best scarecrow (voting will have ended on Thursday Oct. 27); the contestants had the liberty of choosing whatever materials they so desired—so long they refrain from excessive gore—to craft their autumnal decor, amounting to a creative array of items reflective of the respective businesses’ creative talents. Three winners will be chosen, with prizes to be announced along with the winners.
The contest is sponsored by large and local businesses alike, including McDonald’s, Farmers National Bank, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors, the Rotary Club of Geneseo, Country Financial, Erdman Construction LLC, Sedlock Construction, Red Barn Boutique, and Daniels Family Dentistry; Smith Studio and Gallery are given special consideration for their sponsorship for, according to the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce’s website, “[their] phenomenal organization and distribution of frames!”
The scarecrows will make their final appearance in early Nov., as this Saturday, Oct. 29, their purposes are fulfilled through the long-awaited return of Geneseo’s Scarecrow Row event. The daytime event is family-friendly; Geneseo residents and visitors can trick-or-treat from local businesses and take one last look at the assortment of scarecrows. Trick-or-treating is reserved for between 10 a.m.–12 p.m., but the scarecrows will remain on display in the Geneseo City Park until 4 p.m.
The event has brought joy to students, residents, professors, and all who pass through Geneseo. The Lamron’s Knights Life editor and junior English major Ella Pearcy said of the scarecrows: “I love seeing Geneseo’s businesses come together to make so many unique scarecrows.” Pearcy also noted that her favorite scarecrow is the Turnip-Head, inspired by the film Howl’s Moving Castle, which is outside of The Gallery in the Valley.
Junior sociomedical sciences major Jillian Orr gave some insight into one of the business’s scarecrow designs; as an employee at Sweet Arts Bakery, she said that the company used a giant teddy bear for the head of the scarecrow. Needless to say, the Sweet Arts scarecrow is also a fan favorite.
Geneseo’s Scarecrow Row event is still a fairly new addition to the community, debuting in 2020 to foster safe community engagement during the pandemic. Because of its family-friendly and accessible nature, the event has proven to be a hit again in its third year. Be sure to walk through Scarecrow Row before the event comes to its official close on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd.