The Downtown Park Hills Association is hosting its 5th Annual Scarecrow Contest!

EVERYONE is invited to participate! Just register your participation, create a scarecrow, and then invite your friends, family, customers, or whomever you'd like, to vote for your creation on the Downtown Park Hills Facebook Page.

Downtown light poles are available for use. There are only 30 poles available and those will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Contest Rules & Guidelines

Eligibility: The Scarecrow Contest is open to businesses, organizations, groups, and residents. Membership in the Downtown Park Hills Association is not required to participate. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION.

Categories:

• "People's Choice": This is a vote of the public via Facebook and includes all scarecrows entered in all categories as listed below.

• "Most Traditional": This category should "keep the crows away from the corn crop". Scarecrows should be made primarily made of straw.

• "Most Creative": This category includes just about any theme such as fairytales, storybooks, TV shows, movies, celebrities, etc. Scarecrows may be constructed from materials other than straw.

• "Best Portrayal of an Entity": Scarecrow must clearly represent a local business, organization, or group.

Entry Fee: FREE! There is NO FEE to enter the contest. To participate, entrants must register with the Downtown Park Hills Association and have their scarecrow on display with a Photo of Their Entry Sent to DowntownParkHillsMO@gmail.com by October 16, 2023.

Location: Scarecrows eligible to enter the contest must be located within the City Limits of Park Hills. Scarecrows must be placed in front of your business or organization's building or on one of the 30 eligible light poles located along 100, 200, and 300 blocks of West Main Street.

Registration: Participants MUST register with the Downtown Park Hills Association for contest eligibility. Participants may register on the Chamber's website (at bit.ly/DPHAScarecrowContest2023), by completing and returning the official DPHA Scarecrow Contest 2023 Entry Form, or by calling the DPHA at 573-431-3577 Ext. 37. Also, a clear, high-resolution photo of your entry must be sent to downtownparkhillsmo@gmail.com no later than noon on October 16, 2023.

Light Pole Assignments: Light pole assignments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. CLICK HERE for a numbered map of available light poles.

Construction Guidelines:

• The Scarecrow Contest is a Family Friendly event. Scarecrows should be tasteful, whimsical, humorous, mischievous, or loveable.

• No sharp objects are to be used in your design. Scarecrows shall not reflect any political or controversial social or religious themes. The DPHA reserves the right to remove scarecrows that do not meet the guidelines or rules.

• Scarecrow must have vertical supports that can be firmly secured to the light post. Freestanding scarecrows are only allowed in front of participating businesses. Scarecrow displays should not block sidewalks, crosswalks, or entryways.

• Scarecrows must be durable and able to withstand sun, wind, rain, and possibly even snow or ice. Scarecrows must be secured firmly in a safe manner that will keep them from falling over. Safely securing scarecrows will help to avoid trip hazards or issues that may otherwise be a danger to, or possibly cause injury to anyone. Owners are held solely responsible for the safety and security of their scarecrow.

• Use care when choosing your materials. All decorations must be firmly attached to your scarecrow and then to the light post.

• Each participant is responsible for maintaining the overall look of their scarecrow while on display. The DPHA reserves the right to remove any entries that do not maintain their ability to be displayed. Please make every effort to check on your scarecrow regularly!

• Additional props such as corn stalks, hay bales, pumpkins, mums, etc. are permitted as long as they do not block sidewalks, crosswalks, or entryways.

Duration: Scarecrows should be in place and fully constructed no later than NOON on October 16, 2023. Scarecrows and all display materials must be removed no later than 6:00 p.m. on November 3, 2023.

Judging: Voting for "The People's Choice" Award will take place on the Downtown Park Hills Association's Facebook Page from October 17th - 31st.  Other categories will be judged by a panel of individuals chosen by the DPHA with votes to be finalized on October 31st. Winners will be announced on November 1, 2023.

Voting: "The People's Choice" Award is the ONLY category in which the winner will be determined by vote. Voting will be done by REACTING (Like, Love, Care, etc.) to an OFFICIAL scarecrow photo on the DPHA Facebook page. To encourage voting, be sure to share the link to your scarecrow's photo from the DPHA's Facebook Page. ONLY reactions to the ORIGINAL PHOTO will be counted as votes. The photo with the most reactions at midnight on October 31, 2023, will be named the winner. Winners will be announced, and prizes delivered on November 1, 2023.

Prizes: The winner of "The People's Choice" Award will take possession of the unique, handmade, traveling plaque to display for one year and an engraved plate with your business/organization/name will be permanently added to the back of the plaque. The winner will also receive a commemorative trophy and press coverage (both in print and on social media).  Other 1st place category winners will receive commemorative trophies and press coverage (both in print and on social media). All other participants will receive commemorative honorable mention medals.

The Downtown Park Hills Association reserves the right to promote, photograph, and share on social media all scarecrow entries.

Interpretation of these rules and guidelines, as well as any decisions made by the Downtown Park Hills Association, are final and cannot be challenged. By entering the scarecrow contest you confirm that you accept these rules and will follow all guidelines.

Questions? Contact the Downtown Park Hills Association at 573-431-3577, Ext. 37 or DowntownParkHillsMO@gmail.com.

Congratulations to the 2022 "People's Choice" Winner, Special Acres State School!! Will they be able to hold the winning title for another year? The community will decide!

Other's Earning Titles in 2022 Included:

• Most Original: The All Occasions Hall/The Ashler
• Most Creative: Copper Fox Contrived
• Best Portrayal of a Business or Organization: Sideshow Tattoos & Piercings