Mahone Bay’s premier fall fair — in the form of 250 scarecrows, pumpkin spiced lattes and a of healthy dose of sweater weather — hit the town like a multi-coloured wave.
And with the Scarecrow Festival and Antique Fair now in its 22nd year, the fair has become an event that is circled by businesses throughout the community. It is one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Rae Kraushar, the owner of Jo-Ann’s Deli Market and Bake Shop, said her store spent days stocking up and decorating in anticipation of the crowds which hit the town between Sept. 28 and 30.
“It’s just exciting and fun. It can be a little stressful because we’re feeding a lot of people and we’ve been prepping probably for the last three days to bring (this) together,” she said.
Like most of the businesses in town, Jo-Ann’s storefront was populated with scarecrows, hay bales and dozens upon dozens of carved pumpkins highlighting their festive spirit.
The end result, said Kraushar, is worth all of the effort.
“A lot of the staff contributed and they do contribute every year. It’s a fun night for us,” said Kraushar of the pumpkin carvings.
Cindy MacLean, the owner of the decor store My Home Bay, said having a well-known festival helps to highlight the South Shore.
“Festivals like this create destination shopping and bring people to the town that normally wouldn’t come,” said MacLean, whose store has been open for three years.
“And then, they very quickly find out how quaint it is; the beautiful shops, the markets, the restaurants.”
MacLean added that the atmosphere among Mahone Bay’s business community is unparalleled.
“Mahone Bay is such an incredible little town and the local support that we have had here has been phenomenal,” she said.
Overall, her experiences with Scarecrow Festival have only been positive.
“I think it’s great for tourism and it’s great for Nova Scotia.”
Given that the weather co-operated mostly throughout the weekend, this rendition of the festival may have been the busiest yet.
Mahone Bay has embraced its role as Atlantic Canada’s largest fall fair with scarecrows — bearing resemblances from painter Maud Lewis to rock band KISS —having taken up residence on nearly every property.
Meg Craig, the festival’s chair, said that the Scarecrow Festival is continuing to grow.
“It was another successful year. We feel like there were more people in town than there [was] last year,” she said. “It’s been growing in terms of the amount of events we hold during the weekend, the amount of scarecrows we create.”
Craig said that although the festival has earned a reputation since its founding in 1996, the organizers aren’t going to rest on their laurels; they’re always looking for ways to improve the experience.
“We’re trying to keep things fresh so people don’t get tired of seeing the same old thing.”
This year’s changes included a local crafts market, the addition of the South Shore Multicultural Association, more vendors and a new indoor pumpkin path.
For their part, business owners have noticed the hard work being done to keep the Scarecrow Festival a success.
“I’m really grateful for all the volunteers that make this festival happen,” said Kraushar.
