Mahone Bay is once again being taken over by scarecrows — and this year there are more of them than ever.
The Mahone Bay Scarecrow Festival is celebrating its 30th edition with more than 250 handmade scarecrows spread throughout town.
Among this year’s creations are a giant seahorse, Alice in Wonderland and a collection of Canadian icons.
Sylvia Jackson, president of Signature Festivals of Mahone Bay, says the event started three decades ago as a way to keep people coming to town after the busy summer months.
“Thirty years ago, some businesswomen in Mahone Bay decided to do something to increase traffic in the shoulder season,” Jackson said.
Since then, the festival has grown into one of the community’s signature events.
Jackson says organizers continue adding new creations each year while bringing back many longtime favourites.
“We create about 25 to 40 new ones each year,” she said. “This year we probably did close to 40.”
Another addition this year is a new route along the waterfront.
Jackson says visitors can follow the Bayway, an almost one-kilometre walking route that adds another way to explore the displays and the community.
“Mahone Bay has our new Bayway, the walkway along the waterfront, and that’s almost a full kilometre,” she said. “That is a great walk to take around the water.”
The scarecrows will remain up through Thanksgiving, with the festival running until October 12.
Several other events are being held alongside the displays, including the Pumpkin Path, markets, live music, a giant book sale, children’s activities and the annual fruit pie baking contest.
The scarecrow displays themselves are free to visit throughout the festival.
