Cambria’s scarecrows land on a list of the best fall festivals in the country
USA Today has tapped Cambria’s annual scarecrow celebration display as one of the nation’s top 10 autumn festivals.
Highlighting events from Virginia to New Orleans, from to Denver to San Diego, author Katie Jackson wrote in the Aug. 29 report that these are “unforgettable fall festivals ... worth traveling for.”
Jackson called the listed events “10 of the best fall festivals in the United States.”
Most of the fests last a weekend. Cambria’s Scarecrow Festival, which features hundreds of whimsical characters decorating the streets from Oct. 1 through 31, is the only monthlong event on the list, giving potential visitors lots more time to enjoy the displays spread out through downtown, along Moonstone Beach Drive and in San Simeon.
“October is scarecrow season in this oceanfront community along California’s scenic Highway 1 Discovery Route,” Jackson wrote of the festival. “At the rate this festival is growing, someday, scarecrows could outnumber residents. What started as a small festival with just 30 scarecrows has turned into a monthlong celebration featuring 500 scarecrows made by local businesses, students and residents. Many of the scarecrows are made of recycled materials so they’re as sustainable as they are scary (or funny).”
Festival organizers describe the event at www.cambriascarecrows.com as “a community-wide event with hundreds of scarecrows golfing, sightseeing, swashbuckling, pedaling, dancing and flying. … Over the years, the festival has grown into one of the most unique festivals of hand-crafted folk art in the U.S., drawing thousands of visitors from around the world.”
It takes all year for the Dr. Crow team to prepare for each festival, including hosting/leading various how-to workshops. Among this year’s pre-fest clinics were one for children and another dedicated to giving previous scarecrows new identities, costuming and leases on life.
The 2022 festival will include sidewalk displays of individual sculptures as well as larger, themed displays.
According to festival President Paulla Ufferheide, some of this year’s exhibits will honor area nonprofits, pirates, different historical periods of art in an outdoor museum setting, scarecrows made by children and a giant pumpkin eater chasing a field full of pumpkin scarecrows.
For details on the Cambria Scarecrow Festival, go to the website, email info@cambriascarecrows.com or call 805-395-2399.
Other festivals on USA Today’s Top 10 directory at 10best.com/interests/festivals-events/10-best-festivals-fall-2022 included (in the order listed, not ranked):
- Queen City Mischief & Magic wizards’ festival in Staunton, Virginia, Sept. 24-25
- Junkstock music fest and flea market outside of Omaha, Nebraska, Sept. 30-Oct. 2 and Oct. 7-9
- the Norsk Høstfest celebration of Nordic heritage in Minot, North Dakota, Sept. 28-Oct. 1
- National Banana Pudding Festival in Centerville, Tennessee, Oct. 1-2
- National Fried Chicken Festival in New Orleans, Oct. 1-2
- Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Oct. 6-8
- BASE jumping Bridge Day in Fayetteville, West Virginia, Oct. 15 (also home to the Roadkill Cook-off in September)
- Haunted Peaks Halloween Festival in Big Sky, Montana, Oct. 29-31
- Old Town Día de los Muertos in San Diego, Oct. 29-Nov. 2
This story was originally published September 7, 2022 at 11:19 AM.
