Downtown Eatonton is about to get a lot scarier—at least for any crows in the neighborhood.
The annual Scarecrow Contest & Showcase, presented by Smith Communications and The Lake Oconee Breeze, will soon take over downtown Eatonton.
Registration for the October event, hosted by Eatonton Main Street, is now open for two categories of scarecrow contestants: local businesses and entries from non-businesses (families, civic groups, schools, etc.). The entry fee is $25 per entry, regardless of category.
The entry fee will go toward cash prizes for first-, second- and thirdplace winners in the non-business category, while first-through-third winners in the business category will receive certificates for free advertising through Smith Communications’ publications, or the Breeze.
Currently, there is approximately $2,500 in cash and prizes available for winning entries, but as more entries are registered, cash prizes will increase for non-business winners.
“Winners of the scarecrow contest will be voted on by the public,” Eatonton Main Street Manager Lauren Singleton explained. “We will have a QR code that guests can scan with their phones to vote for their favorite scarecrow throughout the month of October. We will also have paper ballots available at City Hall for those who prefer to cast their vote that way.”
Registration will remain open until Sept. 23. Entrants can access the registration form through visiting www.downtowneatonton. com (Events > 2022 Scarecrow Contest), or by picking one up from the Eatonton Main Street office at City Hall (201 N. Jefferson Ave.). For more information, call (706) 749-9150 or send email to director@downtowneatonton.com.
Completed registrations and payment (cash or check only made payable to Eatonton Main Street; no credit/debit cards) can be mailed to Eatonton Main Street, PO Box 4384, Eatonton, GA 31024, or dropped off at the Eatonton Main Street office.
Scarecrow set-up dates are Sept.
25-30, with removal scheduled for Nov. 1-4. Complete rules and instructions are available through the downloadable registration form. The 2022 Eatonton Scarecrow Contest & Showcase is open to everyone, regardless of residency.
-Contributed
Last year’s Putnam County Chamber of Commerce entry.
Jake from State Farm as a scarecrow.