The Great Allentown Fair is bringing back an old staple, a free to enter “Make Your Own Scarecrow Contest” taking place Tuesday, Aug. 28 when the fair opens its seven-day run that continues through Labor Day Monday, Sept. 3.
Creative participants who pre-register by Aug. 21 are asked to bring clothing and decorations from home to dress their straw man or straw lady for success! Josh Grim, owner and operator of Dreams Created Landscaping in Breinigsville, is supplying the straw, skeleton wooden frames and prizes.
Grim is also designing the area inside the fair’s main pedestrian entrance on the corner of 17th and Chew streets that will accommodate up to 25 entries and serve as the contest’s “construction site” starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28. The finished scarecrow creations will be on display there all week offering fairgoers the opportunity to cast ballots in order to vote for their favorites.
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Having grown up on a farm and exhibiting at the fair’s livestock and agricultural competitions, Grim knows a thing or two about scarecrows. Today he is the architect of the area’s largest corn maze on the family farm in Breinigsville that is open to public exploration as part of an annual October Fall Festival.
Grim offered to support the rebirth of the scarecrow contest that existed at the fair during the 1990s with cash placement awards of $250, $175 and $75 for first, second and third places, respectively.
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In addition, all contestants will receive a family four-pack of admissions to Grim’s Fall Festival Corn Maze.
Contestants may enter as individuals or in groups. Participants under age 18 need to be accompanied by an adult while they are building their scarecrow.
Twenty-five may pre-register to have fairgoers pick their favorite "crow chasers."
Ballots for fairgoers to vote for their favorites will be available Wednesday through Friday during fair hours 12 p.m.-11 pm. The winning entries will be announced at the fair’s Livestock Judging Tent at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1. All scarecrows in the competition are to be picked up in Agri~Plex Tuesday, Sept. 4, the day after the conclusion of the fair.
Applications to register are available at the fair main and box offices, Grim’s Greenhouse and Farm Market and online at www.allentownfairpa.org.
For more information and upcoming announcements, visit the fair’s web site at www.allentownfairpa.org or call 610-433-7541.