Published: October 16, 2009 01:42 am      

MEDINA: Annual scarecrow contest to be held

There’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than to rifle through your old clothes, stuff them full of hay, decorate them in the most humorous, scary or just plain obnoxious way and place your creation in the front window for all to see.

Well, those who would like to participate in the annual Medina Business Association-sponsored scarecrow decorating contest can do just that.

“We have always had a lot of participation,” said Cindy Robinson of the MBA. “People really love to come downtown to look in the windows and see the scarecrows on the streets.”

The contest is open to businesses, community and civic organizations and not-for-profit agencies (indoor window display or outdoors), with the first-place winner receiving $100 and second place winning $50; residents of Medina, Ridgeway or Shelby (front porch of front lawn), with the first-place winner receiving a gift basket worth more than $200 in goodies from downtown businesses; and school groups (individual classes — kindergarten through fifth grade) to be displayed downtown, with a first-place prize of a pizza party.

Here are the rules:

• Each participant must submit an application and an entry fee of $10 (check made payable to the Medina Business Association or cash). Applications should be dropped off by Monday to either The Journal-Register, 541-543 Main St., or The Book Shoppe, 519 Main St.

• Scarecrows have to be on display by 10 a.m. Oct. 24. (That’s next weekend!) They will be judged that day by a panel of impartial judges on creativity, originality and quality of workmanship. It is suggested that they stay up until at least Nov. 1.

This year the judging will be done on the same day as the village Ghost Walk.

• Scarecrows should be approximately life-size. Designs should not include political statements or cause offense to members of the general public. Entries do not have to be traditional scarecrows.

• Scarecrows cannot block fire hydrants. If they are placed on the street, they should be secured using a bungee cord to a black lamppost (wires and other devices will scratch the surface). Scarecrows may also be fastened to No Parking signs, as long as the top part of the sign is not blocked.

Locations are on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, call Holly at 798-1400, ext. 8225, or Cindy at 590-0699.