The Scarecrow Parade

Once again, Main Street Benicia is hosting its Halloween scarecrow contest! There are many to choose from.

The figures break down into some natural categories:

Classic:

Two actual scarecrows and a skeleton display represent the best of the “classic” theme.

I liked that they used burlap and used clothing, like a real scarecrow. The skeletons are well arranged and the spiders were creepy-good, but they lacked that homemade flair.

The skeletons were part of a larger diorama that included some ghouls (but I didn’t like how my photo of them came out). This is their annual display.

The community garden contributed a basic scarecrow, who looks a bit like he’s had too much to drink and is about to vomit. Not sure that’s what they were going for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the galleries contributed a beautiful Day of the Dead scarecrow.

Contemporary:

This category included the most innovative sculpture — Legoman!

And a Public Service Announcement:

Mermaids are mythological, but they’re experiencing a renaissance as a fad, so this one (from Sailor Jack’s, our home away from home) definitely fits in the “contemporary” category. That, and her outfit.

And a surfer girl witch in front of the ice cream store.

Matrimonial:

I’m not positive this is a theme, but since we had a cigar-chomping bride in white and a “merry widow” in orange and black, it seemed as if the condition of marriage was well represented. (Unless, of course, the pumpkin figure is actually a woman from Old California, in which case… )

Commercial themed:

Several shops went with a scarecrow that complemented their store, or even carried the brand. Bookshop Benicia provided a forbidding character made of folded paper; the “dog and cat outfitters” had a dog-scarecrow, and Teakman just went with… Teakman.

I love this event. The creativity and humor are wonderful. I’ve said before that I wish Sebastopol’s Downtown Merchant’s association would think about doing this.