October 11 - 18, 2008

Crow-ella

How the Marshall Scarecrow Days Started.....

In November 1999, the Marshall Chamber of Commerce Tourism Scarecrow Committee decided to float the idea of a Scarecrow Festival to the community at large.  Many of the citizens giggled and some laughed right out loud.  A few even went so far as to ask "Have you lost your minds?

The few decided to see if they could raise enough money to run a festival for just one year.  Almost everyone that was contacted contributed everything that was asked.  In fact, enough was raised to run the festival for two years.

"Advance crows" started showing up at every community event possible.  A live scarecrow showed up at the January fund-raising luncheon for the Calhoun County Fair.  A waitress scarecrow held her drinks tray high at the Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.  A greeter and a quilter appeared at the annual Presbyterian Quilt Show in March.

The Garden Club allowed scarecrows to grace some of the gardens on the Welcome to My Garden tour in July, as well as at the Garden Market that same weekend.  The Girl Scouts volunteered to make many scarecrows for the Fountain Circle Park in the middle of town.

Marshall's famous annual Historic Home Tour in September had scarecrows in the gardens of several of the tour homes.

With as much local  publicity as possible the contest category list was circulated. The schools were enlisted to participate.  The churches volunteered to place scarecrows in front of their buildings.

Scouts, senior citizen groups & service clubs all heard the sales pitch.  Merchandise with the logo  was ordered to sell.

What started out as a modest idea has blossomed into an event that is as much fun for the citizens of Marshall as it is for the tourists who visit each October. We invite you to join us for all the family-fun!