SOMERS — Now in its fourth year, the Somers Scarecrow Festival returns to the Four Town Fairgrounds Oct. 19 with a range of contests, delicious food and children’s games.
“The whole point of this festival is to make it about the community,” explained Kara Wolters, one of its organizers. “We are a nonprofit that raises money for social services like the Adopt a Family Christmas program and the Genevieve Neiman scholarship fund.”
The scarecrow contest, the pinnacle of the festival, will have several categories this year. The general category is for anyone to enter and the winner receives a custom prize package. There are also categories for children 10 years old and under, local businesses, local organizations and a battle of the classes where Somers High School classes compete against each other. Each winner receives a gift card or cash.
The pumpkin contest awards the best-carved pumpkin and the best-painted pumpkin, with each winner taking home a gift card.
The festival began in 2021 when the Cultural Commission asked Wolters and company to take over the scarecrow judging contest in town.
“I figured if we are doing a scarecrow contest, let’s make it a festival,” recalled Wolters. “We got food trucks, made a kids’ area, got crafters and pulled it off in two weeks.”
The following year, Marie Letellier, who helps run the Four Town Fair, approached Wolters about joining the Scarecrow Festival with the farmers and crafters market.
This year, Wolters is really emphasizing bringing in the high school students to help with the community event. The students can make money for their classes by helping with the haunted barn and running a booth at the festival.
One of the most heartfelt aspects of the festival is the Genevieve’s Sweet Shot game, which will raise money for the Genevieve Neiman Scholarship fund. She was a 16-year-old student at Somers High School when she died from cancer a few years ago.
“The game is a take-off of the game at the Fourtown Fair that Genevieve loved where you throw a dime and try to get it on a music note but ours is a cupcake and you try to get it on a sprinkle to win a cake,” explained Wolters. “The barn yard donates a pavilion used for the game. People can donate a cake to the game by going to Geissler’s [Supermarket] and paying $10 and signing up to have it delivered to the fairgrounds the day of. All money made at that game goes straight to her scholarship fund.”
Wolters expects to have the Mario’s Pizza food truck, the class of 2026 selling hot dogs, chips and soda to support their class, Chick-fil-A sandwiches and teas from Stand Out Nutrition.
The kid’s area will have games, a bounce house, face painting, a magician and a balloon twister. Paw Safe will be in attendance for dog adoptions.
The festival is still in need of monetary donations, raffles and volunteers and welcomes high school students in need of community service hours.
“It all comes back to community,” said Wolters. “We give those prizes away to help groups or organizations make a little money. We make money for great causes with social services and Genevieve’s scholarship. We give opportunities for charities to be a part of it. It’s a fun day for the whole family.”
For more information or to sign up for one of the contests visit somerscarecrowfestival.com.
