HBPA To Present Annual Contest

While farmers use scarecrows to keep birds away, members of the Hummelstown Business and Professional Association (HBPA) hope that scarecrows will actually attract visitors to the town square during its Scarecrows on the Square event.

As part of the annual contest, businesses, organizations, families and individuals are invited to create scarecrows and place them in the town square. The scarecrows can be in any form, and they may include signage and messages.

"We have traditional scarecrows with hay bales that businesses and organizations and families put together, but it can be anything," explained HBPA board member Erika Hilbert. "(People) have used unique materials to make their scarecrows. There are no specific guidelines to what kind of scarecrows they can make."

Businesses will set up their scarecrows on the north side of Main Street, scarecrows made by nonprofit organizations will be located on the southwestern side of Main Street and individuals and families will place their scarecrows on the southeastern side of Main Street.

After the scarecrows are put in place, community members will vote on their favorites. There are two categories for participation - business and non-business - the latter of which has been split into two groups - nonprofit organizations and individuals and families. The winners from the non-business category will receive Hummelstown Dollars as prizes, which can be used to purchase items at local businesses, and the winners from the business category will receive trophies.

There is no charge to participate, and those wishing to be part of the event are asked to register by emailing HilbertE@members1st.org by Saturday, Oct. 15. The contest will open on Sunday, Oct. 16, when HBPA will present A Taste of Hummelstown from 2 to 4 p.m. During the afternoon, participants will be able to enjoy food, music and shopping as they walk around center square. They will also be able to check out the scarecrows. To learn more about A Taste of Hummelstown, visit http://www.hummelstownassociation.org/events/taste-of-hummelstown.

Scarecrow voting locations will be posted at http://www.facebook.com/HummelstownBusinessProfessionalAssociation. "There will be quite a few voting sites," noted Hilbert. "Voting will actually run a little later this year, through Tuesday, Nov. 15."

She said there are an average of 20 scarecrows on display each year. "The purpose of the event is to promote community and for businesses and organizations to get their names out there, and it's fun for families and individuals to be a part of it for a chance to win some prizes," said Hilbert. "It's not a fundraiser; it's a fun thing for (HBPA) to put on for the community. We're happy to keep this an annual event. It's nice to have the town square decorated."

For more details about Scarecrows on the Square, visit the previously mentioned Facebook page or http://www.hummelstownassociation.org.