The saying ‘If you want something done, ask a busy person’ rings true for Marilyn Morris, who marvels at how hundreds of Meaford volunteers somehow manage to enjoy all that summer on the Georgian Bay has to offer and still organize an award-winning Scarecrow Invasion and Family Festival by early September.
Marilyn is the proud Head Scarecrow of the annual Invasion and Festival that draws thousands of visitors to Meaford each year from early September to mid-October. “How these volunteers manage to travel, garden, babysit grandchildren, golf, attend weddings and family gatherings, and play host to out-of-town guests and at the same time build some 250 scarecrows, decorate the town, and organize a parade and festival is beyond me,” she told the Meaford Independent last week. “Our volunteers are such amazing people.
“August is an exciting time for the invasion and festival volunteers. It’s a time when all that creative energy that has been floating around for months becomes very intense and very focused on decorating the town, bringing the scarecrows to life and rolling them out, finalizing the parade, festival, and the apple pie and business competitions.
“There is still much to be done, and many hours to put in, but I am confident that we will be ready by the first week of September to start the celebrations as Scarecrows Proudly Celebrate Canada’s 150th. I have had a sneak preview of the type of scarecrows that are in the making and, with all of the red and white used clothing and props that people have donated, I can say that this year’s Invasion and Family Festival will be colourful, lively, and 100% Pure Canadian.
“I guarantee you it will be a celebration that will make the municipality and our sponsors proud,” said Morris.
The scarecrow tradition dates back thousands of years. Like their predecessors, Meaford scarecrows love to frolic. They hang from lampposts, linger on park benches, pose in storefront windows – they are everywhere, from the first week of September to mid-October.
“This year, a walk among the scarecrows will be like a stroll through the pages of Canadian history. Our theme this year is Scarecrows Proudly Celebrate Canada’s 150th, and the scarecrows will depict some of the great Canadian personalities, institutions, and inventions from the past 150 years,” Marilyn said. “We would love to see everyone at the big day celebrations on Friday, September 29, and to kick off Meaford’s Big Fall Weekend which includes the prestigious Apple Harvest Craft Show.”
The parade on September 29 starts at 6 p.m. on Sykes Street and the festival at 6:30 p.m. at the Rotary Harbour Pavilion. There will be free family activities and entertainment, an apple pie auction, award presentations, and of course, hundreds of scarecrows.
For information on the scarecrow invasion, scarecrow-related activities, and Meaford’s Big Fall Weekend, visit www.scareinvasion.ca, meaford.ca., and www.meaford.com/town/harvest.htm.
Photo: Scarecrow Invasion and Family Festival
