The Van Vleck House & Gardens in Montclair is once again holding its Scarecrows in the Garden contest. (Verona floral designer Blooms In Hand won the Local Business category in last year’s contest, with a creation called “October Bride.”)
From traditionally designed scarecrows to dark-and-scary tributes to Halloween, from repurposed and upcycled creatures to sewn-and-stuffed homages to characters inspired by history, mythology, film, or literature, the only limit is your imagination. Just make sure your scarecrow is weather-resistant and sturdy to qualify for display and judging. All entries are welcome as long as they are family-friendly and homemade. Visit www.montclairfoundation.org for more information and to register. Make sure you carefully read the rules and guidelines before entering.
Scarecrows must be dropped off through the North Mountain entrance at Van Vleck House & Gardens on Thursday and Friday, October 13 and 14, between the hours of 2 and 6 p.m., or Saturday, October 15, between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon.
The scarecrows will be displayed at the gardens from October 17 to 31. This event is free and sponsored by Rao’s Homemade, PSE&G, PNC Bank, Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center, and Brookdale ShopRite. Winners in each category will win $500 to donate to the nonprofit of their choice. The community will be able to vote for their favorites in real-time online, voting for their favorite in each category.
The winners will be announced Thursday, October 27, and will be presented with their checks to the nonprofit of their choice on Saturday, October 29.
