A collage of photos from past St. Charles Scarecrow Weekends, with handmade scarecrows, carved pumpkins and families downtown around the 2026 dates

Every Year in Chicagoland

St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend, Oct. 9–11: Hours, Voting and What's Where

Your complete guide to St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend (Oct. 9-11): hours, voting, 120+ scarecrows, activities, food vendors, and the craft show.

By HellginOctober 8, 20268 min read

You know the weekend: the leaves are just starting to turn and a cold front has passed through. Main Street in St. Charles fills with straw people on poles, plus a lot of real people with strollers and cider. Scarecrow Weekend runs Friday, October 9, through Sunday, October 11, 2026, all over downtown St. Charles. Hours are Friday noon to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Here is where everything is and how to get around it.

The weekend, in one pass

Organizers call this the 41st annual Scarecrow Weekend. The festival's history page dates the tradition to 1985. It says the first year had 39 scarecrows and about 10,000 visitors, and that by 1989 there were 80 scarecrows and more than 40,000 people. It is always held Friday through Sunday of Columbus Day weekend.

This year there are more than 120 handmade scarecrows. The festival site, the city's October bulletin, Patch and Shaw Local all give that number. The City of St. Charles lists the cost as free. The St. Charles Business Alliance runs the event, and the Alliance says St. Charles Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is this year's presenting sponsor. Questions go to the Alliance at 630-443-3967, 2 E. Main St., St. Charles, or to scarecrowfest.com.

The weekend has three parts. First is the scarecrow contest, which spreads across downtown. Second are two activity zones, a Family Zone in Lincoln Park and an Activity Zone on Riverside Avenue. Third is the 1st Street Plaza, with more going on around the municipal building. Don't look for rides, because there is no carnival. The organizers say the free family activities take its place.

Finding the scarecrows and voting

The scarecrows are the reason to walk the whole town. They stand along Riverside Avenue, in Lincoln Park and on 1st Street. There are four categories, and the 2026 brochure puts them here:

Mega/Mechanical: Lincoln Park
Business: Lincoln Park
Individual: 1st Street
Clubs/Not-for-Profits/Schools: Riverside Avenue

The brochure also points to one more giant scarecrow, separate from the others, at Premier Living Properties, 612 W. Main St. It's a short walk west if you're already in Lincoln Park.

You can vote two ways. You can pick up a paper ballot at an information booth, or you can use the Travel St. Charles app and scan the QR code on a scarecrow. The brochure says each person gets one voting slip. Patch says you get one vote in each category, and you can get an "I Voted" sticker at an info booth. Try to see all three areas before you fill out your ballot, because Riverside and 1st Street are on opposite sides of the Fox.

Voting closes at 5 p.m. Sunday. The winners are announced on the Alliance's Facebook and Instagram accounts, both at @stcalliance. In September, Patch reported prizes of $200, $150 and $100 for the top three in the Business, Clubs/Not-for-Profit/Schools and Individual categories, and $500, $350 and $250 in Mega/Mechanical. Those amounts came from the Alliance's Nicholas Lowe and don't appear on the festival site or brochure. Teqworks sponsors the contest.

What to do once you're there

A good route is to start west in Lincoln Park, at 450 W. Main St. between 4th and 5th, and walk east toward the river.

Lincoln Park Family Zone. This zone has live music, dance teams, family booths and roaming performers, including Ghostbusters characters. The Leslie Hunt Band and the Big Al Wetzel Band are on the bill here. The Alliance says Big Al Wetzel closes the Lincoln Park stage Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

1st Street Plaza (1st Street between Main and Illinois). The Frizz, Daddy Wasn't There and Phase V play here. There's also a "Fall in Love" photo spot and mascot appearances. The League of Enchantment is new this year and will be on the plaza from 2 to 6 p.m. The Alliance describes it as a nonprofit that visits hospitals and community events in costume.

Riverside Activity Zone (Riverside Avenue between Main and Illinois). Most of the free kids' activities are here:

An inflatable corn maze, sponsored by T-Fiber
A 26-foot climbing wall from Scouting America's Three Fires Council
Pumpkin painting, sponsored by Meijer
Face painting, sponsored by Smile Haven Dental Studio: Friday 1–5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2:30–5:30 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m.
The John Measner Magic Truck: Friday at 1, 2:30 and 5 p.m.; Saturday at 11 a.m., 12:30, 3 and 5 p.m.; Sunday at 10:30 a.m., noon, 2 and 4 p.m.
Straw sculptures from the U.S. National Straw Sculpting Competition in Mt. Morris, Illinois

The Pumpkin Butcher is also new to this zone. The Alliance names the carver as Chris Larsen, who has been on Food Network's Halloween Wars. Watching him might give you ideas for your own pumpkin before Halloween.

Municipal lot, 2 E. Main St. Two Jurassic Park replica vehicles are new here this year, and you get a free printed photo with them. Colonial Cafe is celebrating its 125th anniversary by bringing its Kitchen Sink truck and handing out free scoops of chocolate chip, mint chip and vanilla. Scoop times are Friday 4–6 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. and Sunday 1–3 p.m. If you want to make a scarecrow for your porch, the Scarecrow-to-Go kit costs $15. It comes with pantyhose, twine, an outfit, straw and directions, and Napleton Chevrolet sponsors it. The brochure also lists a festival T-shirt from The Hairy Ant Screenprinting for $20.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile comes Saturday only.

Eating, and the craft show up the river

The festival's FAQ puts Just Kabobs and Taco Urbano in the Lincoln Park Family Zone. Windy Acres Farm, the Arcada Theatre and Franklin's Hot Dogs are in the Riverside Activity Zone. Windy Acres brings donuts, cider, honey and other fall treats, and the Alliance says the Arcada is selling pizza and pretzels. The brochure also lists Just Kabobs under the Activity Zone, so if you're looking for it, check the map. Kimmer's Ice Cream parks in Lincoln Park Saturday 10 a.m.–1 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Downtown restaurants also sell food to go.

Autumn on the Fox, the craft show, is a separate event a short walk up the river in Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave. Art of the Heartland runs it, and it has its own hours: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. That means on Friday the craft show opens two hours before the festival zones do. More than 100 crafters sell handmade jewelry, stained glass, photography, wood, ceramics, metalwork and seasonal décor. Art of the Heartland says the artists make what they sell and that the show has been in Pottawatomie Park since 1987. There are food trucks there too. It's a good place to start on your holiday list before Thanksgiving.

Getting through the crowd

Lowe told Patch he expects about 80,000 people over the three days, about the same as last year, though weather could change that. Saturday is usually the busiest day. Patch says to expect a crowded downtown, especially at peak hours.

The festival is on both sides of the Fox. Lincoln Park and 1st Street are on the west side. Riverside, the municipal building and Pottawatomie Park are on the east. Wear good walking shoes and plan on crossing the river at least once.

Places to know:

Restrooms: portable toilets in Lincoln Park, on the east side of the Municipal Building at 2 E. Main St., and on the south wall of Smallcakes at 117 W. Main St.
First aid: a St. Charles Fire Department station on the east side
Lost children: go to the info booth
Map and schedule: the festival brochure, linked from scarecrowfest.com

Things wrap up Sunday at 5 p.m., when scarecrow voting also closes. Turn in your ballot before then.

Sources (14)

Photos courtesy of St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend.