THE Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival is turning 30, and plans to draw families to its nine-day summer event once again this year from August 10 to August 18.
Originating as a humble fundraiser by a group of parents seeking to support Kettlewell Primary School, the event's first incarnation encouraged villagers to create scarecrows depicting their profession.
Before long farmer, doctor and decorator scarecrows had sprung up, as well as an electrician up a ladder (complete with sparks fizzing from a fuse box), which became a favourite with visitors for many years.
The village's enthusiasm for the idea enabled the event to blossom, with more scarecrows gracing gardens and doorways and peeping over walls every year.
Before long, wider media attention prompted tourists to flood in, sometimes by the coachload, for a leisurely stroll around the scarecrow trail.
The Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival has won the hearts of audiences far and wide since its first year, and is now receives an estimated 15,000 visitors annually and enjoys a Facebook follower base of 7,000.
Media outlets including Radio 2, The Telegraph, the Daily Mail, and even the New York Times have cast their spotlight on Kettlewell’s Scarecrow Festival.
Scarecrow legs peeping out from a car (Image: Chris Winpenny)
To mark the 30th birthday milestone, this year's event will feature two themes, 'Classic Kids TV' and '1994 Revisited,' aimed at children and adults (or big children) respectively.
The children's offering will include an appearance from 'The Clangers,' while the '1994 Revisited' feature will revisit notable events of that year such as Nelson Mandela's becoming president of South Africa, the birth of the internet, the start of hit TV show 'Friends,' and the movie theatre phenomena that were 'Pulp Fiction' and 'Four Weddings and a Funeral.'
A religious scene in scarecrow form (Image: Chris Winpenny)
Another facet of the Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival that remains a favourite among visitors is the selling of homemade pastries and refreshments in the Village Hall, with delicacies ranging from traditional fruit cake and Wensleydale cheese to lemon drizzles.
Value for money has played a role in the festival's popularity, with just £4 required for parking and £1 for a trail sheet.
All proceeds from the festival will go towards funding community projects.
For those curious about the ever-growing event, details are available on the Facebook page and on the recently launched website, www.kettlewellscarecrowfestival.co.uk.
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