Multy scarecrows remain outstanding in their field

Following its successful debut last year, the Multyfarnham Scarecrow Festival returns this weekend, on August 2. The festival is a Multyfarnham Tidy Towns event and runs in conjunction with the Multyfarnham Field Day. Madeleine Corcoran from the festival planning committee explained. “We only started last year – we did have one years ago but of recent times, it only started last year.”

The committee were inspired by other scarecrow festivals across the country and are looking forward to seeing what participants will submit this year.

“At the park in Multyfarnham on August 2 we’re going to have a Field Day and a Scarecrow Festival. There will be loads of activities and free entry, so it’s great for kids.”

There are various categories for competitors; for children, best family scarecrow, best business scarecrow and more.

“What we’re asking people to do is be as creative as they can and bring it along a day or two before August 2. It all has to be above board and nothing that’s going to be discriminatory, something fun and family oriented.”

The list of categories is: Place, Individual, Business or Organisation; Place, School entry; Place, Individuals over sixteen years; Place, Children Category; Place, Overall, Winner; Most Sustainable Design; Most Traditional design; Most Creative Design.

Registration for businesses and organisations is €20; for schools, groups, families and individuals entry is €10.

The committee hope to expand the festival in the future. “I think in Carlow they have this massive scarecrow festival, they have a musical and it’s a full two- or three-day event. It’s new to Multyfarnham so we’re trying to grow it and hopefully year on year if we can get it going, we’d move it closer to autumn.

“We’d hope to get a bit of funding from the Westmeath County Council to boost it a bit, and then anything we raise, which to date has only been a little because we’re only starting, goes toward the Tidy Towns of the village.

“They do loads of work in keeping the park and the planting and the park and all the things we get to use.”

Madeleine encourages anyone interested to visit for what should be an enjoyable day for families. “It’s an enclosed park and there’s loads of parking. It’s great for people to come on the day and just mosey about and you can have lunch in the village, go down to the field day, and make a whole day out of it.”

There will also be a scarecrow theme treasure hunt for children. “The kids will get to run a round and try to find the clues and answer a list of questions and then a name will be pulled out of the hat for a prize.”

Those who wish to donate to Multyfarnham Tidy Towns can do so via Revolut on the day.