Scarecrows will invade Eureka for the seventh year.
The annual festival, featuring creations scattered throughout the city and weekend events, is held during October.
Mayor Sean Flower is eager for this year’s event.
“I’m just looking forward to putting on something that we can all enjoy and not talking about coronavirus,” he said. “So that would be my big goal, and we just find something to have a little bit of normal and we can enjoy.”
On Aug. 28, Eureka Chamber of Commerce executive director Krista Overstreet said more than 100 scarecrows will be placed around town.
Overstreet said events connected to the month-long celebration have been modified this year to adhere to St. Louis County health guidelines, which are in place to help stem the spread of COVID-19.
“We’ve managed to come up with several events that can actually provide social distancing so that we can actually put this festival on,” Overstreet said.
Events connected to the festival include:
■ Melvin’s Brewing Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday, 110 Hilltop Village Center Drive.
■ Small Business Week, starting 8 a.m. Oct. 5 through 5 p.m. Oct. 9, customers can enter a drawing to win prizes at participating businesses.
■ Taco Tuesday by Mountain Biking and Margaritas, 6-10 p.m. Oct. 6, at Eureka Mountain Bike Park, 1 Coffey Park Lane.
■ Drive-in movie: “Beetlejuice,” 7 p.m. Oct. 9, at Timbers of Eureka, 1 Coffey Park Lane.
■ Golf Cart Parade, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, details to be announced at a later date.
■ Super Hero Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 17. Personnel from the Eureka Fire Protection District and Eureka Police will escort costumed superheroes around the city.
■ Realty Executives Pumpkin Carving Contest, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24, 113 Hilltop Village Center Drive.
■ Hunger Mission Food Collection at Realty Executives Premiere, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24, 113 Hilltop Village Center Drive.
■ First Adventures Academy and Dobbs Truck or Treat, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 25, 600 Top Notch Lane.
Two month-long events also return to this year’s festival.
The Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual election that allows people to pick their favorite scarecrows. Voting can be done at eurekascarecrowfestival.com.
The Great Scarecrow Hunt, which is sponsored by Flower’s business, Flower and Fendler Homes, also returns. People can participate by taking a photo with a scarecrow and posting it on social media. The rules are listed on the festival’s website.
The overall winner will receive $1,000, second place $500 and third place will get $250, according to the website.
Overstreet said she is looking forward to Super Hero Saturday. She said Six Flags employees will dress up like various superheroes and will be driven throughout the city’s neighborhoods.
Overstreet said the event is similar to when Flower dressed as the Easter Bunny and visited all the city’s neighborhoods in April.
“It gives people an opportunity in the residential areas to feel like they’re part of the festival,” she said.
One event that has been linked to the Scarecrow Festival the past few years will not take place as it has traditionally been held. The Harvest Moon Run, which is held at Route 66 State Park, will not take place this year.
Instead of the run, organizers will use the month to raise money to combat hunger through an online campaign.
“The Harvest Moon Run board is setting forth on a Hunger Mission to raise funds for the hungry,” event organizer Carolyn Parmer said. “The Hunger Mission is an online campaign to raise funds for the hungry, beginning Oct. 1 and running through the month of October.”
Another change for this year’s event is how much the chamber is asking the city to contribute financially.
In the past, the chamber has received $10,000 from the city to help pay for the event’s advertising. This year, the chamber only asked for $1,000 to cover the cost for the drive-in movie.
On Sept. 1, Eureka Fire Chief and chamber board member Greg Brown told the aldermen that those coming to see the movie will not leave their vehicles, and the cost to watch the show will be $10 per vehicle.
Board members approved the $1,000 expenditure 5-0. Ward 3 Alderman Jerry Holloway was not at the meeting.