Second annual Scarecrows in the Garden offers fun Saturday

Published 9:30 am Tuesday, October 31, 2023

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Dozens of scarecrows, from fun and thought-provoking to spooky and down-right creepy and everything in between filled the Heart and Soil Community Garden on Saturday for the Hogansville Active Life’s second annual Scarecrows in the Garden Fall Festival.

The fall festival is sponsored by the Hogansville Regional Arts Association (HRAA), the Hogansville Active Life and Visit Hogansville.

This year’s event featured several live musical performances from local artists, including local favorites Eddie Bo Robinson, Nick Mayfield, Joel Taylor Murphy and Chattahoochee Rhythm Keepers.

The event started at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Dr. Pam H. Long (Former Professor at  AUM, Hispanic Ministry) giving a brief discussion on Hispanic Culture month and the  significance of “Dias de Los Muertos” (the “Day of the Dead”) which is celebrated Nov. 1 and 2 in Mexico and Latin America, as a traditional fiesta celebrating their deceased loved ones.  

The annual scarecrow contest and fall festival helps promote local non-profit organizations and businesses by allowing them to create one-of-a-kind scarecrows to display in the garden for Halloween. The organizations are encouraged to theme their scarecrows based on the services they offer.

It allows them some publicity to share what they do and also allows the non-profits to do a bit of “FUNdraising,” Stephanie Culver said. Culver has helped organize the event in Hogansville since its inception.

The event also helps raise money to maintain the garden, Culver said.

Culver explained that non-profits and businesses get two benefits from their participation. It allows them to introduce themselves to the community and what services they offer and if they are creative enough, they can win a cash prize.

Eagle River Forge won first place with its “TINacious Slayer of Evil Pumpkins” tinman scarecrow created by owner/metallurgist Mitch Kernodle and his assistant Leah Jeffrey.

Second place went to The Grand Barber Barber Shoppe on Main Street created by Taylor Vold.

 Middle Chattahoochee Sierra Club earned third place with a recycling-inspired scarecrow created by Travis Towns. Towns is also a drummer with the Chattahoochee Rhythm Keepers who performed during the event.

The Sierra Club also won the Best Representation of the Organization award and the Grand Barber took home both the Scariest and Funniest Scarecrow awards.

Culver said they are already working on the 2024 Scarecrows in the Garden, so join them next year for a fun and family-friendly day at the Heart & Soil garden.