Scarecrows have been spotted lurking in front of local businesses in downtown Seymour.
There’s nothing to fear. It’s just time for the fourth annual Scarecrow Stroll presented by Seymour Main Street.
Twenty-three local businesses have created and displayed unique scarecrows outside their storefronts this month in an effort to attract people downtown to participate in the annual event.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryBri Roll, executive director of Seymour Main Street, encourages community members of all ages to take a stroll downtown and vote on their favorite scarecrow by visiting the business and filling out a ballot.
“Businesses participating are counting on you to cast your vote for them as your favorite scarecrow,” Roll said. “Ballot buckets and slips are at each location, and the winning business will be announced on Halloween night.”
To participate, businesses had to come up with a scarecrow that represented their business or company mission in some way.
Last year’s winner was Reno’s Cigar and Martini Lounge with their Spider-Man scarecrow, which was crowned the King of Scarecrows on Halloween. Also, the business’ name was placed on a plaque as the 2019 winner.
One of this year’s businesses participating in the Scarecrow Stroll is The Magic of Books Bookstore, owned by Jenna Martinez.
“I wanted something that represented The Magic of Books, so a fellow Boozy Bookworm Book Club member and I were brainstorming and we thought a bookworm would be fitting,” Martinez said. “Then I asked the Facebook page to help name him, and some followers suggested Absolem.”
Martinez said that’s the name of the caterpillar in “Alice in Wonderland,” and she is obsessed with that story, so it was the perfect choice.
“I’ve added some props since I didn’t get them finished in time,” she said. “I’ve got some Harry Potter books to put around him.”
Next door to The Magic of Books Bookstore is another Scarecrow Stroll participant, Blush and Brush Beauty Bar.
“Our scarecrow is Carole Baskin and she’s not quite finished yet, but she was a combined effort,” Phoebe Zike said. “We have someone here named Carolyn, and sometimes, we call her Carole Baskin, so it’s kind of an ongoing joke.”
Carole Baskin is the animal rights activist who gained national attention on the Netflix true crime documentary miniseries about the life of zookeeper Joe Exotic.
Speaking of animals, Paws-N-Klaws Pet Parlor has a scarecrow display this year, too.
Owner Katrina Underwood and employee Kathy Allen came up with the idea, and then everyone there helped.
“We offer boarding, grooming and day care here, and so we wanted each part to be represented in the display,” Underwood said. “We have scarecrow boarding dogs, who have their suitcases and they’re going on vacation here.”
Underwood said they also having a grooming cat in the display, and on the other side is a day care scarecrow girl taking care of the dogs and cats.
“I used to teach dance for years, so we’re all about the props and the fun stuff,” Allen said. “With everything being so depressing with COVID, people drive by and laugh at our displays, and if we can brighten someone’s day, then it’s worth it.”
For a list of the businesses participating in the Scarecrow Stroll, go to seymourmainstreet.org or facebook.com/seymourmainstreet.
This year’s Downtown Trick or Treat event was canceled due to the anticipation of extremely large crowds and the risk of cross-contamination between local schools, Roll said.
So Seymour Main Street came up with a bonus activity by hosting a virtual Scarecrow Selfie Contest for children and families to participate in at their leisure.
“The promotions committee brainstormed the scarecrow selfie idea, and then committee members Susie Bowman and Aleta Quate created the Jack and Diane O’Lanterns,” Roll explained. “Aleta’s daughter, Bev, proposed the idea, and Susie and Aleta crafted the creation with the help of their husbands.”
Roll said a hashtag also was created by Bowman and is a play on Seymour native John Mellencamp’s song “Jack and Diane.”
“Visit the O’Lantern scarecrows at Burkhart Plaza through Oct. 31 and post a selfie with them on social media with the hashtag #NoRainOnTheScarecrow,” Roll said. “Enter through Oct. 31 to be entered for a chance to win prizes.”
Winners will be announced the first week of November for the selfie contest.
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Participating Scarecrow Stroll locations in Seymour
Seymour City Hall, 301 N. Chestnut St.
Seymour Department of Public Works, Chestnut and Third streets
Jackson County Public Library, 303 W. Second St.
Jackson County United Way, 113 N. Chestnut St.
SIHO, 102 S. Chestnut St.
Artistic Impressions, 127 W. Second St.
Tiemeier’s Jewelry Store, 101 N. Chestnut St.
Seymour Chamber of Commerce, 105 S. Chestnut St.
Prestigious Affairs, 108 S. Chestnut St.
JCB, 125 S. Chestnut St.
Seymour Decorating Center, 220 S. Chestnut St.
3’z Company, 206 S. Chestnut St.
Paws-N-Klaws Pet Parlor, 631 W. Second St.
The Castle Games, 210 W Second St.
Stout’s Upscale Resale, 208 W. Second St.
Revel Salon, 202 W. Second St.
CPR Cell Phone Repair, 117 W. Second St.
Blush and Brush Beauty Bar, 115 W. Second St.
This Old Guitar Music Store, 106 W. Second St.
Grindlay and Grindlay, 105 W. Second St.
The Magic of Books Bookstore, 113 W. Second St.
State Farm Gary Thompson, 112 E. Second St.
AES Automotive Equipment Specialist, 100 N. Ewing St.
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