Kathleen Lao, a new resident of St. Charles, discovered a beloved local tradition soon after her arrival. Just two months into her stay, she attended the annual Scarecrow Weekend festival, a community event she plans to return to regularly. Lao expressed her excitement, “We recently moved here and found out about this scarecrow festival, and it’s just wonderful.” Walking among the many creative hay-stuffed designs along Riverside Avenue, she noted, “I understand this is a community tradition, and I love the area. With a baby on the way, I’ll definitely be coming back for this.”
This weekend, St. Charles embraces the autumn spirit with the Scarecrow Weekend festival. The 41st annual event, organized by the St. Charles Business Alliance, features over 120 scarecrows, live music, children’s activities, food, and entertainment. The festivities started on Friday and continue through Sunday afternoon. According to festival officials, this year’s scarecrows outnumber last year’s, marking the highest total since the pandemic.
A press release from the St. Charles Business Alliance detailed the festival’s offerings, including a scarecrow contest where visitors can vote in four categories. These categories include entries by individuals, clubs, not-for-profits, and businesses. The Lincoln Park area has transformed into the festival’s Family Zone, which features live music, dance teams, activity booths, and roaming performers.
Jenna Sawicki, Executive Director of the St. Charles Business Alliance, shared her enthusiasm, “This fest has lasted over four decades because people love celebrating the great fall weather. I think people enjoy coming together as a community to celebrate St. Charles and its businesses.” She emphasized the festival as a free, family-oriented community event.
An estimated 80,000 visitors will attend over the three-day event. Among the newcomers was Monique Hillestad from Hanover Park. Visiting with her 10-week-old son Emerson, she found joy in exploring the decorated surroundings, “He’s too young to participate, but it’s fun to push him around in the stroller and enjoy all the decorations and pumpkins.”
Cristin Wetzel, a St. Charles resident for nearly a decade, has attended the festival multiple times. On Friday, October 9, 2026, she visited the event with her daughter Maeve, age 9. Cristin praised the festival, “It’s free and offers fun for all ages. The layout encourages exploration from one side of the river to the other, with plenty of stops in between.” Wetzel mentioned her children’s favorites, “The kids enjoy the corn maze, building pumpkins, and interacting with the playful scarecrows.”
The festival continues to grow each year. Cristin highlighted the family-centered activities, including a build-your-own scarecrow area and a craft fair. Her daughter Maeve shared her enthusiasm, “I like the corn maze, painting pumpkins, and seeing all the funny kids’ scarecrows.”
David Sharos reported this story for The Beacon-News.
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