By Uniqua Williams
Driving through the streets of Chappell Hill in October may seem a bit scary — if you’re a crow that is. The Chappell Hill Historical Society hosts their annual Scarecrow Festival on Oct. 13 and 14.
The Chappell Hill Historical Society is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation of historical buildings in Chappell Hill. The festival helps raise money for the Historical Society. It’s also a chance to educate visitors about historical significances and occurrences in Chappell Hill, according to Joel Romo, president of The Chappell Hill Historical Society.
“The Scarecrow Festival was designed to attract people that are interested in antiques and collectibles,” says Romo. “The community started displaying scarecrows and preparing for the fall and it became a major attraction where there were scarecrow contests, more people got engaged, they decorated their homes and businesses, and the festival grew out of that.”
There are usually hundreds of scarecrows displayed during the event by the community of Chappell Hill. The festival attracts anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 people per year, according to Romo. Although a lot of guests are from the Brazos Valley, 90 percent of the guests come from out of town — places like Houston, Austin, and the Hill Country area. “This is one of the largest festivals in the state of Texas, and we are blessed that many of our attendees are from throughout Texas, not just local,” says Romo.
Dance groups, ballets, and different musicians perform throughout the day. Two stages will also be open during the event, featuring performers like singer Abigail Tayler.
There will be food booths and beverages, train rides, and a kid’s corner for visitors. The Chappell Hill Historical Society Museum, which has a huge exhibit relating to the 100th anniversary of World War I, will also be open.
“Everything will be within walking distance,” says Romo. “People can enjoy a day at the festival and take in the live music, the cultural arts — which is in our museum — kids activities, and of course, food and beverages.”
The scarecrows may be the main attraction, but this festival helps bring out the town’s historical significance as well. A lot of Texas history occurred in Chappell Hill leading up to Texas Independence.
“We invite people to come to our festival and enjoy a day in the country with arts and crafts and activities,” says Romo. “We have beautiful historic buildings that are open to the public during our festival: a museum, library, Providence Baptist Church. We have so much to offer in the Chappell Hill area.”
The free festival is on Oct. 13 and 14, from 9am to 6pm on Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sunday. Parking is $5, and vendor applications are still open. For more information about The Scarecrow Festival, visit www.chappellhillhistoricalsociety.com.
