Scarecrow contests? Are you kidding me? I never knew they could be so much fun. We’d actually heard about the Cambria Scarecrow Festival from a friend before we left on our trip. It sounded intriguing, but after seeing the scarecrow contest in Solvang, we were eager to make a stop in Cambria. The world of scarecrows looks nothing like it did back when farmers stuck those old stick figures out in their fields.
14 years and growing
This is the 14th year for the Cambria Scarecrow Festival, and it now draws hundreds of entries. That’s quite a feat given that when the festival started in 2009, they had just 30 scarecrows. But the festival isn’t just about fun. It’s actually a way to raise money to support artistic creativity and increase the visibility of Cambria and San Simeon. Over the years, the festival has gotten coverage in several national news sources, including print news and television. The Travel Channel even included it in the top 10 scarecrow festivals in the U.S. and Canada.
Crazy and kookie to heart-warming
Having spent the previous day driving from Monterey to San Simeon and seeing the beauty of the Big Sur coastline, we were looking forward to something different. Our driving distance was negligible, so we had plenty of time. Unfortunately, the gloriously clear days we’d been experiencing also meant the temperatures were rising. It was one of the hottest days of the year when we hit Cambria, so we took the easy way out and drove the route. We also heard from people walking that we’d made the right choice!
One of my favorites was the bicycling troupe at the top of this post. As I took the photo, Kathy reminded me to not miss the little guy bringing up the rear. I didn’t miss. He’s there.
Did you see last week’s entry? You can find it at America’s Danish Town and Scarecrows. Click here to view more Friday Morning Post entries, or you can follow me on Instagram.
