Scarecrows coming to downtown Dowagiac
Published 8:15 am Thursday, September 19, 2019
DOWAGIAC — Families, friends, students and co-workers, along with business owners, are invited to make scarecrows that will be placed on display in downtown Dowagiac.
The Scarecrow Contest is being presented by the Under the Harvest Moon Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12, an event of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce. Now in its ninth year, Dowagiac’s fall festival celebrates Michigan’s autumn, as day visitors enjoy a glimpse of true Americana, organizers said. The event will host a display of vintage farm tractors, sponsored this year by Steinbauer Performance USA, an open-air marketplace of fall produce, Michigan handmade products and sweets, as well as street entertainment and family events.
Vickie Phillipson, program director for the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority, said two divisions of competition are being offered. A public division is open to all ages with entries constructed by individuals, as well as families, classrooms and organizations. A business division is also being presented.
Entry into the contest is free of charge. The festival will award a $25 Universal Dowagiac Gift Certificate to the winner of the public division. The top three winners of the business division will each receive a $150 complimentary ad in Leader Publications, which is co-hosting the competition.
Business owners can also order bundles of cornstalks for their scarecrow or display and may place their order with the chamber by Sept. 27. Bundles of cornstalks are $5 each.
Entry forms for the public and business divisions are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, located at 200 Depot Dr., or by calling (269) 782-8212. Deadline for the public division is Tuesday, Oct. 8. Deadline for the business division is Sept. 25.
Phillipson said scarecrow entries should not exceed two feet in width or depth, and should not be more than 7 feet tall. The hay-men should be weather resistant and sturdy in order to be placed on display.
Businesses located within the central business district will display their entries at their front entrances, while companies located outside the downtown and public entries will be displayed on downtown lampposts.
Winning entries will be announced the day of the festival. For a complete set of rules and regulations, contact the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce.
Vendors of handmade products, antiques and collectibles, along with growers of fall produce who would like to participate in the festival’s open-air marketplace can do so by calling the chamber at (269) 782-8212 or by contacting Phillipson atvphillipson@dowagiac.org. Owners of vintage farm tractors, who would like to display their equipment, are also invited to join the event by calling the chamber.
Corporate and in-kind sponsors of the festival are: Accounting Consultants, Creative Vinyl Signs, Dowagiac Area History Museum, Kim MacGregor’s office of Edward Jones, Forest Glen Assisted Living, Hale’s Hardware, J&H Oil Company, Judd Lumber Co. & Rental, Leader Publications, Preferred Printing, Southwestern Michigan College, Steinbauer Performance USA, Town & Country Garden Club, Williams A-1 Expert Tree Service and Wright Farms Market.