Downtown St. Charles turns into a sea of hay bales and painted faces starting Friday, as the 41st annual Scarecrow Weekend takes over Lincoln Park, Riverside Avenue and First Street for three days of free family entertainment. Organizers expect roughly 80,000 visitors to pass through the downtown corridor over the weekend, a turnout that would match previous years of the festival, according to a press release cited by the event.
The free, three-day event runs from Friday, October 9, through Sunday, October 11, according to the Chicago Tribune. At the center of it all is the Scarecrow Contest, which this year drew more than 120 entries competing across four divisions — Individual, Clubs/Not-for-Profits/Schools, Business, and Mega/Mechanical — with displays spread across Lincoln Park, Riverside Avenue and First Street, as reported by the Daily Herald. Visitors can walk the route and vote for their favorites in each category, with one ballot allowed per division.
Entry into the contest is free, but the creative effort pays off for winners. Cash awards for 2026 range from $200 for first place in standard categories down to $100 for third, while the power-equipped Mega/Mechanical division — reserved for the more elaborate, motorized builds — tops out at $500 for its best entries, per the Daily Herald's reporting from September.
What's New This Year
Festival organizers have layered a handful of fresh attractions onto the usual scarecrow sprawl. New for 2026 are live pumpkin sculpting from a carver known as “The Pumpkin Butcher,” display replicas of Jurassic Park vehicles, and appearances from costumed characters with the League of Enchantment, according to Patch's rundown of what to expect this year.
The Lincoln Park family zone will feature live music, dance team performances and roaming entertainment throughout the weekend, per the Tribune's account. Over on Riverside Avenue between Main Street and Illinois Avenue, an activity zone will offer the John Measner Magic Truck, a rock climbing wall and an inflatable corn maze. The Oscar Mayer Weinermobile is scheduled to make an appearance at the activity zone on Saturday.
First Street Plaza will host free live music across all three days. Additional activities are planned in the municipal building parking lot, alongside a variety of food vendors spread throughout downtown.
A Festival Four Decades in the Making
The event is now in its 41st edition, according to the Daily Herald. Scarecrow Weekend is organized by the St. Charles Business Alliance, per Shaw Local.
Private sponsorship keeps most of the weekend's family activities free. St. Charles Chrysler Dodge Jeep serves as the presenting sponsor for 2026, the Daily Herald reported in September.
More to Do Along the Riverfront
Visitors looking to extend their weekend have another option just down the road. The Autumn on the Fox Art and Craft Show runs concurrently with Scarecrow Weekend, October 9 through 11, at nearby Pottawatomie Park along the Fox River, with more than 100 crafters, according to Art of the Heartland, which organizes the show independently of Scarecrow Weekend.
Organizers have directed attendees to www.scarecrowfest.com for the full festival schedule and map, per the Tribune's reporting.
Sunday Breakfast Fundraiser in Yorkville
For those in the area Sunday morning, the Yorkville Sons of the American Legion Post 489 will hold its monthly breakfast fundraiser, open to the public, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Yorkville American Legion, 9054 E. Veterans Parkway, the Tribune reported. The buffet includes biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, fruit, tomato and orange juice, milk, coffee and an omelet station. Admission costs $12 for adults ages 18 to 54, $10 for those 55 and older, and $8 for kids 6 to 17, with children 5 and under eating free.
