St. Charles Scarecrow Contest winners announced
St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend organizers on Monday announced the scarecrow contest winners.
The 38th annual festival ran Friday through Sunday in downtown St. Charles. The event featured live entertainment in the Lincoln Park Family Zone, family-friendly activities in the Riverside Activity Zone, and more.
The highlight was the scarecrow contest featuring more than 100 homemade scarecrows in four categories: Individual, Business, School/Not-for-Profit/Club, and Mega/Mechanical. Guests voted on their favorite scarecrow at the event in each category.
"Individual" category winners are Lili Reyes, 1st place; Pistilli Family, 2nd place; and Klaus Gerischer, 3rd place.
"Business" category winners are J & R Herra Home Services, 1st place; 3rd Street Dance, 2nd place; and DePaw Pet Resort, 3rd place.
"Clubs/Not-for-Profit/School" category winners are Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, 1st place; Daisy Scout Troop 2070, 2nd place; and MidValley Special Ed SAIL Program, 3rd place.
"Mega/Mechanical" category winners are American Science & Surplus, 1st place; Skyline Tree Service, 2nd place; and Starfish Animal Rescue, 3rd place.
Winners in the Mega/Mechanical category earned $500 for first place, $350 for second place and $250 for third place.
In the other categories, first place received $200, second place received $150 and third place received $100.
Jenna Sawicki, executive director of the St. Charles Business Alliance, said the festival was successful this year. The alliance is happy with the turnout, she added.
Sawicki said the event was packed after a slow start on Friday. She estimated there were about 60,000 guests in attendance throughout the weekend.
“It's great to showcase the parks, businesses, and downtown amenities of St. Charles,” Sawicki said. “We're thrilled when we can showcase the St. Charles community. Hopefully, it inspired people to want to come back.”
The festival is a collaborative effort between the business alliance and the city. Sawicki said there are always many moving pieces in an event like Scarecrow Weekend. But she is very proud of her staff, the community and the city.
To find the complete list of scarecrow contest winners, visit scarecrowfest.com/scarecrowcontestresults.