By Lori Modde
Arcadia Galston Residents’ Association (AGRA) believed 8 years was way too long to be without a scarecrow gathering in our rural and rustic paradise.
It seems others thought so too! What a truly impressive response it was by locals with 27 ingenious, imaginative and awe-inspiring scarecrows exhibited across the realms of Berrilee, Galston, Fiddletown and Arcadia during October and November. Literary heroes and heroines, prison escapees, relatives, enemies and friends, Renaissance masterpieces, farmyards and exotic animals and bucolic scenes were on display across the hills and dales.
These 27 whimsical flights of fancy were primped and primed, wired, chained and wrapped, tucked, tied and twisted, draped, staked and perched (some precariously) at businesses, schools, residences, paddocks, gates and fences of 2159, enduring chill, rain and tempest.
A huge THANK YOU to our extraordinary judge, Mr Chris Russell, AM. Chris took the full 3-hour tour scrutinising each exhibit, peeking, poking and prodding, pausing to ponder each crow and crone. After pronouncing his preferred picks, Chris stated “I have judged many a thing in my career. This is, I must say, the funniest (sic) one so far!”
Deserving of a large THANK YOU is Arcadian artist Mrs Fiona Chrystal. Fiona designed the delightful, not too challenging, Colouring In competition drawing. The artistic merit, presentation and overall standard of ALL entries were sublime. All entries receive a Certificate of Participation. The following receive an AGRA voucher redeemable at any 2159-based business.
For your viewing pleasure, a short film and heaps of photos of the scarecrow exhibits, colouring in entries is available at www.AGRA2159.com.au and on social media.
Kudos to everyone for making this event a success and fun!!! Merci. Danke. Gracias.
The Festival of The Scarecrow will return in October 2022. We hope more scarecrows will adorn businesses, homes, stables, schools, shopfronts and sheds, institutions, churches and clubs, paddocks and gardens across a little bit of our paradise.
