Events this weekend are the highlight of Cambria’s Scarecrow Festival

As if you couldn’t tell during a quick spin around downtown Cambria and San Simeon, October is Scarecrow Festival month, and events on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 and 21, are among the highlights of the schedule.

Events include announcing the winners of the scarecrow competition, an OctoberFest and a 5.1K fun run/walk in which some athletes dress up like scarecrows.

OctoberFest

On Saturday, for the second year in a row, festival organizers and the Lions Club are banding together to share sponsorship of the town’s OctoberFest celebration. There’s no admission charge for any of the events.

Leading off the fun will be an art show in the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At 11:30 a.m., festival officials will host the “And the Winners Are…” award ceremony, during which the best of the best scarecrow installations will be honored.

The OctoberFest/scarecrow gala and music fest will be from noon to 5 in the Pinedorado grounds next door. Wine, beer, brats and more will be for sale, as will Harmony Valley Creamery ice cream sold from the restored, vintage truck.

A photo-booth station will be available, fall-harvest items will be available to purchase at a pumpkin patch and a face painter will create holiday looks. Some dance performances are expected, and, of course, there’ll be a special display of holiday scarecrows.

For details, go to cambriascarecrows.com. Advance tickets for special beer and food packages are also available online.

The run

On Sunday, runners and walkers — some of whom may be dressed up like scarecrows — will gather at Shamel Park on Park Hill’s Windsor Boulevard for the Cambria Scarecrow Classic 5.1K run-walk along the oceanfront bluff trail of the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. For details on the fundraiser for local youth sports programs, go to cambriascarecrowclassic.com.