October 1 marks the beginning of scarecrow season on the Central Coast.
Two local communities are hosting scarecrow festivals this month.
The Cambria Scarecrow Festival is celebrating its 13th year.
Hundreds of handmade scarecrows will be on display throughout the communities of Cambria and San Simeon.
Organizers say this year's highlights include "Pirates of Cambria," a display with dozens of pirates, a sinking ship, sea monsters, and treasure chests; "Storybook Tales" with characters from Snow White, The Wizard of Oz, The Old Woman in a Shoe, and Star Wars; a "Day of the Dead" display; and "Noah's Ark."
In Solvang, the Santa Ynez Valley Scarecrow Fest is in its 12th year.
Businesses and organizations throughout the city will feature scarecrows of their own creation and visitors can vote on their favorites in six categories: "Best Scarecrow Photo Opp", "Best Use of Recycled Materials", "Best Use of Business Theme", "Most Danish", "Spookiest", and "Most Humorous".
Both events are free and open to the public and continue through October 31.
