The 33^rd Annual Scarecrow Fest took place in St. Charles this past weekend, organized by the Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. Ballots were cast during the three-day festival, with visitors voting for their “Favorite Scarecrow” in each category on display at the Meijer Zone in Lincoln Park.

Winners were announced during Sunday’s closing ceremonies, presided over by city of St. Charles Mayor, Ray Rogina.

DeAnn Wagner, interim executive director of the GSCCVB, said all the entries were outstanding.

“In the 12 years I have been involved in the organization of the fest, your entries have amazed me,” she said. “The creativity, imagination and impact your displays have on other families cannot easily be put in words.”

The event was sponsored by the St. Charles Arts Council and the Kane County Chronicle.

The winners of the festival’s signature event in 2018 are as follows:

MECHANICAL CATEGORY

First Place ($550) – “Steam Pumpkin by Tom Cassell

MEGA CATEGORY

First Place ($400) – “Up!” by Matt A. Anderson

Second Place ($300) – “Big Bad Wolf” by Kate Fitch

Third Place ($200) – “Deadpool POP!” by Lindsay Hermann

CLUBS, NOT-FOR-PROFITS & SCHOOLS

First Place ($275) – “Spread Your Wings” by St. Patrick’s School

Second Place ($225) – “Sunny, the Spirit Scout” by Richmond Intermediate Junior Girl Scout Troop #1358

Third Place ($175) – “Let’s Build Together” by Anderson Elementary School

INDIVIDUALS

First Place ($200) – “Harvest Queen” by Arami Family

Second Place ($150) – “Monarch Butterfly at the Fest” by Lily Contreras

Third Place ($100) – “Un Poco Loco” by Tony Perez

FAMILY CATEGORY

First Place ($200) – “Finding Nemo: Scarecrow Fest Style” by The Fraser-Banks Family Jamboree

Second Place ($250) – “Surfin’ St. Charles” by The Pistilli Family

Third Place ($100) – “Trick or Treat!” by The Hall Family

GREATER ST. CHARLES BUSINESS CATEGORY

First Place (Ad in the Kane County Chronicle) – “Flatlander Llama” by Flatlander Fitness

AREA BUSINESS CATEGORY

First Place (Ad in the Kane County Chronicle) – “Sloffee” by PapaNicholas Coffee

Images of all of this year’s winners are posted on www.scarecrowfest.com, and were taken by Karen Muehlfelt of Keeping Moments Photography.

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.

SOURCE: Greater St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau news release