Mark your fall calendars for scarecrow season. Entering its ninth year, this fun, family friendly and festive event will be hitting the pavement mid-September. Dust off the cobwebs and shake your straw bales to prepare your scarecrow entries.

“Though we are still stuck in the nightmare that is “2020 The Sequel”, we can battle these COVID zombie blues with a dash of fall flair and pumpkin-spiced whimsicality” said Emily Scott, the Master of Crows for the Edmonds Scarecrow Festival.

Entrants in the Edmonds Scarecrow Festival can register their fiendish scarecrow creations under six categories: Residential (single or multi-family, care facilities); Retail Business (stores and shops, except art galleries); Service Business (legal, medical, travel, salon); Financial/Insurance/Real Estate; Arts/Government/School/Civil; and Food and Beverage Business. There is also a Non-Voting category for those that just want to display instead of play. All scarecrows are welcome.

There will be three additional “special recognition” awards for the top vote getter, first-time builder (residential and non-residential) and the best depiction of Edmonds history. Entrants will be able to register their scarecrow on the museum’s Edmonds Scarecrow Festival website beginning Sept. 13. Visit the website to learn more about the festival, read the updated FAQ, and get a head start on your entry with “how to build a scarecrow” instructions.

Beginning Oct. 18 everyone can cast their votes online at the museum’s website to determine the best scarecrow in six categories. The winners will be announced Nov. 3. Winners in each category will receive an award certificate and special goody bag.

The museum is located in Edmonds’ historic 1910 Carnegie Library at 118 5th Ave. N. Learn more at historicedmonds.org.