The 33^rd Annual St. Charles Scarecrow Fest will take place Friday, Oct. 5. through Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in downtown St. Charles. The festival has once again been named one of Country Living Magazine’s “Top 22 Fall Festivals to Celebrate the Season”.

Attendees can look forward to festival favorites, including the Autumn on the Fox Arts & Crafts Show in Pottawatomie Park, carnival rides by Windy City Amusements, Make-Your-Own Scarecrow, live entertainment and, of course, the signature event, the Scarecrow Contest.

Some of the newer events from recent years are back by popular demand, including pony rides and Taste of St. Charles.

In addition, entertainment will be expanded to three locations this year, including Q Center’s Main Stage in the Meijer Zone at Lincoln Park, the Arcada Theatre Stage on the north side of the Municipal Building, and the parking lot north of the Filling Station restaurant.

For those looking for an even more active experience, festival organizers are pleased to introduce the W.A.R. on Wheels Scarecrow Ride, sponsored by Sammy’s Bikes, in support of Cal’s Angels and their W.A.R. against pediatric cancer (Wishes, Awareness & Research).

The ride, taking place at 8 a.m. Oct. 7, will feature two distances, 60 kilometers and 100 kilometers. The cost to participate is $25, but non-riders can also make a donation in support of Cal’s Angels.

“This is a wonderful complement to our family-friendly festival,” said DeAnn Wagner, interim director of the Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau, the group that organizes Scarecrow Fest. “It provides locals and visitors the opportunity to explore St. Charles and enjoy the festival in a new and exciting way, while also contributing to such a worthy cause.”

Sammy’s Bikes will have bicycle rentals available for event participants for $15, or $20 per day for anyone wishing to enjoy Scarecrow Fest by bike.

Another new activity for 2018 is the Grave Reminders Cemetery Walk, organized by the St. Charles History Museum, in conjunction with the St. Charles Park District.

Participants can immerse themselves in the local history as they visit the grave sites of those who helped shape the character of St. Charles. At each site, guests will “encounter” a community figure who will give a short monologue about his or her life.

Tickets are $5 for residents, $8 for non-residents, with those five and under free. Tours will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and will depart every 15 minutes on. There will be shuttle service from Pottawatomie Park for festival attendees.

Pre-registration is encouraged by contacting the Park District at 630-513-6200.

More details about Scarecrow Fest and the W.A.R. on Wheels Scarecrow Ride can be found at www.scarecrowfest.com.

About the Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau is funded by the Illinois Office of Tourism and a portion of the hotel/motel tax collected by St. Charles hotels to promote Greater St. Charles as a destination for leisure tourists and meetings and conventions, sports events, and motorcoach trips.

For additional information regarding the bureau’s marketing and sales activities, contact the bureau at 630-377-6161, 800-777-4373 or www.visitstcharles.com.