Set-up for the annual Cambria Scarecrow Festival is underway and community members, along with business owners, are looking forward to the month-long event.
Planning for the Cambria Scarecrow Festival starts in January, with a creative workshop for the community taking place in May.
“And I think that their creativeness comes out and inspires everyone around,” said Patty Rixman, president of the Cambria Scarecrow Festival.
WATCH: Cambrians come together to create scarecrows for annual festival
Volunteers then set out in late September to set up the hundreds of handmade scarecrows all along Main Street in Cambria and up to San Simeon.
The event started 17 years ago and was initially introduced as a way to drive tourism to the area, boosting local businesses.
Liz Bannon is the owner of Freddie’s Thrift Store, one of the businesses that will be displaying the scarecrows.
“So shops can make a donation and then I get to pick out the scarecrow and this year I picked the cowgirl. But it’s great for business. It brings a lot of people into town,” Bannon said.
This year, more than 200 scarecrows will be on display.
“The community is really gung ho and I’ve noticed a lot of businesses tagging our Instagram and Facebook pages with their own creations,” said Kim Miller, Cambria Scarecrow Festival Social Media Coordinator.
This year, the Cambria Scarecrow Festival will have an interactive map of the scarecrow locations on its website. People who take an online survey will also be entered to win a prize.
“Let us know which one is your favorite. You might win a free night stay in Cambria,” said Stephanie Vassigh, Cambria Scarecrow Festival Vice President.
The scarecrows will be on display from October 1 through October 31.
During that time, there will also be an art exhibit at the Cambria Center for the Arts titled “Scarecrows In Focus: A Photographic Retrospective,” showcasing the festival throughout the years.
On Saturday, October 4, 15% of sales from the artist reception will go back to the Cambria Scarecrow Festival.
