Main Street in Medford has some new faces this October, and they’ll be sticking around for a few more weeks.
Scarecrows created by local families, businesses, nonprofits and community groups are now on display throughout Medford Village as the Woman’s Club of Medford continues a fall tradition that dates back more than 15 years.
The annual scarecrow contest brought handmade creations to Main Street on Oct. 3, where they will remain on display through Oct. 22.
“Everyone looks forward to seeing the scarecrows throughout the month of October,” said Tish DeSilva, president of the Woman’s Club of Medford. “It’s a great way to decorate the town for the Halloween season and increase foot traffic in Medford Village. The creativity of the displays is always over the top.”
The tradition began in 2010 under the Historic Medford Village Association. The Woman’s Club of Medford took over the contest in 2015 and has organized it ever since.
Today, the contest serves not only as a community event but also as a fundraiser for Embrella, the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs’ state project.
Embrella is a New Jersey nonprofit that supports children, youth and families involved in the foster-care system through advocacy, training and programs that include scholarships, mentoring and emergency assistance.
Participants installed this year’s scarecrows along Main Street on the morning of Oct. 3 before a committee from the Woman’s Club judged the entries.
Entries competed in several categories: family, school group, nonprofit, individual, Scouts, commercial and miscellaneous, with a winner selected in each.
Results were attached to the displays following judging and were also scheduled to be shared on the Woman’s Club of Medford Facebook page.
But the end of the competition doesn’t mean the end of the fun.
Residents have until Oct. 22 to take a stroll through Medford Village and see this year’s creations for themselves. The scarecrows are attached to streetlight poles along Main Street facing the businesses, making it easy for visitors to see the displays while exploring downtown.
“The scarecrows create a fun, festive, family-centered environment throughout Medford Village,” DeSilva said.
Entries traditionally represent a cross section of the community, including local businesses, nonprofits, families and Scout groups.
That variety is part of what has helped the event become an October tradition.
The scarecrows also provide another reason for visitors to spend time in Medford Village, something DeSilva said benefits the shops and restaurants that line Main Street.
“Many come from surrounding towns to see the display,” she said. “It increases foot traffic and encourages people to visit our local businesses and restaurants.”
Businesses themselves play a role in the tradition, with many creating their own scarecrow displays each year.
For DeSilva and the Woman’s Club, that combination of creativity, community involvement and support for downtown is what makes the contest about more than Halloween decorations.
The club hopes children and families who visit the displays come away seeing Medford as “a vibrant, family-centered community with many events happening throughout the year,” DeSilva said.
The scarecrow contest is just one part of the Woman’s Club’s involvement in the community.
Throughout the year, members participate in Operation Holiday Stocking by creating stockings for troops and prepare a home-cooked turkey dinner on Thanksgiving for Medford police officers working that day.
During the holiday season, members decorate the Christmas tree for the police department’s party for children in need.
The club also hosts an annual fifth-grade spelling bee for local elementary schools, makes Valentine’s Day cards for veterans and helps run the community yard sale at Freedom Park.
Supporting local students is another part of its work. The club awarded scholarships to two female high-school seniors and holds an annual tea fundraiser to raise money for its scholarship program.
Members also participate in social gatherings and a book club.
For residents who discover the organization through the scarecrow contest, the club welcomes new members, including those who don’t live in Medford.
More information about joining or supporting the Woman’s Club is available through medfordwomansclub.com, by emailing medfordwomansclub@gmail.com or through the Woman’s Club of Medford Facebook page.
As for the scarecrows, visitors still have plenty of time to see this year’s lineup.
They will remain along Main Street through Oct. 22 and must be removed by 5 p.m. Oct. 23, giving families a few more weeks to walk through Medford Village and see how the community has dressed up downtown for Halloween.
