Halloween is just around the corner, and the Downtown Business Association plans on lining East Elk Avenue with straw-filled sentinels to help guide the way.
The DBA will host its first Scarecrow Contest this fall.
Through the contest, participants will decorate their own scarecrow, which will be affixed to columns along East Elk Avenue. The scarecrows will be judged and the winner will receive a $50 cash prize.
Carter County Tomorrow President Tom Anderson, who was on the planning committee, said the contest was open to any person, business or community organization who wants to participate, not just those located in downtown.
“We want all of the people possible to participate,” Anderson said. “Think of how amazing it would look in downtown if there was a scarecrow at every column.”
There is no cost to enter the contest, and participants have the freedom to decorate their scarecrow in almost any way that they want. The only requirements are that the decorations be family-friendly, be durable to the elements and not extend closer than one foot from the edge of the sidewalk.
Entries will be judged by a committee on creativeness, originality and general appearance.
The deadline to enter is Oct. 10 and all scarecrows should be displayed by Oct. 15. The awards will be given on Oct. 22.
Applications will be available at the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce and select downtown businesses.