Scarecrow contest aims to capture the Halloween spirit this year
October 2, 2020 | By Lisa Scagliotti
October arrived this week and as plans for Halloween celebrations soon come together, it should be no surprise that, just like everything else for much of 2020, the holiday will be marked differently this year due to COVID-19. Photo by Gordon Miller.
October arrived this week and as plans for Halloween celebrations soon come together, it should be no surprise that, just like everything else for much of 2020, the holiday will be marked differently this year due to COVID-19.
Waterbury Recreation Director Nick Nadeau announced this week that the Recreation Department will not host a traditional Halloween event that involves a gathering.
Instead, it’s hosting a creative contest along with the Waterbury Village Market that will decorate downtown and have prizes.
It’s called Scarecrows on Main and it will involve people creating scarecrows to put on display along Main Street and at Rusty Parker Park. Entries will be numbered and the whole community can weigh in to judge and vote on their favorites. The market will contribute $50 gift cards for the winners in each category.
“I’m hoping that it will give the community a fun alternative to dress up something else in lieu of trick-or-treating,” Nadeau said.
CDC weighs in on Halloween
Just what form Halloween celebrations will take is something people are thinking about across the nation, not just in Vermont. The Centers for Disease Control recently released guidance regarding upcoming fall celebrations that details low-, moderate- and high-risk Halloween activities.
Low-risk activities generally happen at home such as pumpkin carving, watching movies, a backyard scavenger hunt, or a virtual costume contest.
Examples of moderate-risk activities are outdoor group events where people can be distanced such as parades or haunted forest activities; also distributing bags of candy rather than having youngsters pick their own. A CDC tip: “If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.”
High-risk activities to avoid, according to the federal guidelines, include traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating, crowded indoor parties or haunted house events, and even hayrides that mix people from different households.
Local organizers try to get creative
In Waterbury, organizers of the usual celebrations say they are adjusting or skipping their typical events.
The Children’s Room, for example, will not hold its annual Halloween party at Thatcher Brook Primary School. The room’s space inside the school is still off-limits due to COVID-19 restrictions and Children’s Room programming has relied on outdoor and online activities for parents with young children. Volunteers with the room say they are exploring alternatives for some type of outdoor event this year. Coordinator Naomi Alfini said if plans come together, they will announce the details soon.
The Waterbury Fire Department hopes to have a scaled-back Halloween event this year at the Main Street fire station. Fire Chief Gary Dillon said based on the public health guidance, department members may be able to safely hand out candy and glow sticks to youngsters. They would skip the usual hot dogs and fire station open house, Dillon said, with the goal of having everyone wear masks and stay a safe distance from others before heading home. “I think it would be wise for people to go trick-or-treating in their own neighborhoods and not go to over-populated areas where social distancing is near impossible,” Dillon said.
Randall Street residents, meanwhile, are discussing whether to host trick-or-treaters this year. The neighborhood that includes Elm Street is a magnet each Halloween for hundreds of local children and their parents to stroll through visiting virtually every porch, many of which are decked out with elaborate Halloween displays. Community members also take up candy collections ahead of the holiday to help supply the neighborhood with treats given the demand. Randall Street resident Roger Clapp said neighbors are brainstorming ways to make trick-or-treating safe but that’s proving to be a challenge as the CDC guidance that emphasizes distancing and avoiding large gatherings will make it difficult for the neighborhood to safely welcome Halloween crowds as usual. Stay tuned for word on whether the neighborhood will welcome ghosts and goblins.
Scarecrow contest details
For now, the scarecrow contest is definitely on and the main Halloween attraction in town. The entry period is already open with details for the contest on the Recreation Department’s website where scarecrow entries can be registered. Each one will be issued a number that its creators will attach to the scarecrow.
Those entering who live on Main Street can put their scarecrow out in their yard, Nadeau said. Others can set their entries up in Rusty Parker Park.
Then anyone in town can drive or walk by to check out the scarecrows to then vote online for their choices for the scariest, best constructed with recycled materials, and best dressed.
Nadeau said that each winner will receive a $50 gift card to the Village Market.
There are a few rules such as scarecrows needing to be free-standing and designs are to be non-offensive, non-political, and free of dangerous items (knives, sharp objects, fire, etc.).
Entries must be registered in order to be considered for judging but anyone may vote. The contest opened Oct. 1 meaning scarecrows may now be placed at the park and removed by Nov. 2. The contest winners will be announced on Waterbury Recreation’s Facebook page and website on Halloween, Oct. 31.
Full details including registration and voting forms are on the Recreation Department’s website. Email Nadeau with any questions at nnadeau@waterburyvt.com.