Scarecrows In The Gardens
3540 Thomasville Road
Tallahassee FL 32309
Scarecrows will be displayed along the brick walkway in the Formal Gardens.
1. Adult/Business – $25 2. Nonprofit – $15 3. Students – $10
We invite you to create a one-of-a kind scarecrow to display in Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park. Anyone can enter and there will be prizes!
The Scarecrows will be on display from October 1st through October 31st, 2025.
Prizes: For each of the categories, a winner will be selected by a panel of judges and awarded a prize of $50 and a $50 Friends of Maclay Gardens membership.
People's Choice: Park visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the People's Choice scarecrow Oct. 1 - Oct. 31. The People's Choice award will be announced on the Friends of Maclay Gardens Facebook page and at the Ranger Station.
Guidelines
- You are welcome to build your scarecrow from scratch. If you prefer, the Friends of Maclay Gardens will provide a scarecrow figure that you can enhance with your creative adornments and accessories within these guidelines.
- Scarecrows must be in good taste and not reflect controversial, social, or political situations.
- Scarecrows must be constructed to withstand a variety of weather conditions during the month of October.
- The Gardens reserves the right to refuse any scarecrow entry or remove any that may deteriorate or become unsightly.
- No handouts, promotional materials, or free giveaways can be associated with any entry.
- Live plants are not permitted. Mulch and pine straw are not permitted at the base of any display.
- Scarecrows must be brought to the Gardens on the assigned days and times in October. A time and date will be assigned for the installation upon receipt of entry form and fee. Each entrant is responsible for the installation of their scarecrow(s).
- The gardens will provide a metal mounting post (re-bar) and designate a location for each scarecrow, which should be assembled prior to delivery to the park.
- Exhibits may not exceed 10′ X 10′ X 10′. The gardens will provide a standard sized sign to identify the entry. On the sign will be the name of the scarecrow entry and the name of the individual or group who created it.
- Scarecrows will need to be picked up and removed from the Gardens Nov. 1 and 2.
Scarecrows in the Gardens Entry Forms are due by Sept. 24, 2025. You may either register on the Friends of Maclay Gardens Website or you may stop by the park to pick up a printed entry form. The designated days to set-up your Scarecrow are Sept. 28 and 29 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please contact the Park's Event Coordinator at MaclayEventCoordinator@FloridaDEP.gov or at (850)-815-2344 to schedule your set-up date and time.
If you have additional questions, please contact:
Helen Purvis: Event Chair (850)-251-7171, jpurvis77@comcast.net
Jana Walling: Event Chair (850)-264-9627, jipwfl@hotmail.com
Gabrielle Spillers: Maclay Event Coordinator (850)-815-2344, MaclayEventCoordinator@FloridaDEP.gov