Join us this fall in the Ashton Gardens for our popular Scarecrow Festival. Enjoy the beautiful autumn colors in the expansive 50-acre gardens and dozens of imaginative scarecrows built and submitted by the community. Visit on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday to enjoy activities, vendors, and food!
Festival is included with regular garden admission and FREE for Thanksgiving Point Members.
October 16-21, 2023
Ashton Gardens
3900 N. Garden Drive
Lehi, Utah 84043
October 16 – 21, 2023
9 am – 6 pm
Late Opening: October 21, 10 am
Festival Market and Concessions: October 19-21, 10 am – 6 pm
FREE for Thanksgiving Point members and included with regular Ashton Garden admissions.
THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Join us October 19, 20, or 21 from 10am-6pm for vendors and activities at the Waterfall Amphitheater, including hands-on educational activities provided by Thanksgiving Point’s Learning & Engagement team!
2023 Vendor applications are now closed.
Build a Scarecrow
2023 Scarecrow Festival submissions are now closed.
SCARECROW DROP-OFF DETAILS
NO DAY OF SUBMISSIONS ALLOWED. For online-submitted Scarecrows ONLY.
Scarecrow drop-off will take place Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 10 am – 6 pm at the Ashton Gardens (3900 N. Garden Drive Lehi, Utah). All scarecrows will be checked in on the curb at the info tent, not the visitors’ center. A staff member will be there at the tent ready to register your scarecrow and give you your Scarecrow Festival Passes. From there, our staff will install your scarecrow for you, or you are welcome to install the scarecrow yourself and our staff will guide you on where you can set up. If you have stakes, rebar, posts, or other specific supplies needed to install your scarecrow, please bring them with you. Your scarecrow must be self-standing or stand with the help of (1) rebar post.
Full Festival timeline:
- Scarecrow Drop-off – Saturday October 14, 2023 – 10 am-6 pm
- Scarecrow Festival – October 16 – 21, 2023 – 9 am-6 pm
- Scarecrow Pick-up – Monday October 23, 2023 – 9 am-4 pm (more details to come)
As a reminder, while our staff takes great care in setting up the scarecrows, your scarecrow will be outside for a week and is subject to outdoor conditions. The more stable the frame of your scarecrow is, the better it will hold up throughout the event. Thanksgiving Point is not liable for any damaged scarecrows.
ALL ENTRIES RECEIVE:
- 4 Complimentary tickets to the 2023 Scarecrow Festival
- One entry into the Grand Prize Drawing
GRAND CHAMPION
$1,000 Prize
Grand Prize
The Grand Prize is a random drawing chosen on the last day of the festival. The grand prize includes:
- $100 Thanksgiving Point Gift Card
- Thanksgiving Point Family OR Grandparent Membership ($300 value)
- 4 VIP Luminaria tickets for the 2023 season ($164 value)
Judges CHoice
FIRST PLACE
- Trophy
- Thanksgiving Point Family OR Grandparent Membership ($300 value)
- 2 VIP tickets for the 2023 Luminaria season. ($82 value)
- Scarecrow Image featured on the Thanksgiving Point Marquee and social media
SECOND PLACE
- Trophy
- $50 Thanksgiving Point Gift Card
- 2 Luminaria Tickets for the 2023 season ($52 value)
THIRD PLACE
- Trophy
- 2 Luminaria Tickets for the 2023 Season ($52 value)
People’s Choice
FIRST PLACE
- Trophy
- Thanksgiving Point Family or Grandparent Membership ($300 value)
- 2 VIP tickets for the 2023 Luminaria Season. ($82 value)
- Scarecrow Image featured on the Thanksgiving Point Marquee and social media
SECOND PLACE
- Trophy
- $50 Thanksgiving Point gift card
- 2 Luminaria Tickets for the 2023 season ($52 value)
THIRD PLACE
- Trophy
- 2 Luminaria Tickets for the 2023 season ($52 value)
The History of Scarecrows
Whether they are spook-ified villains like in Batman or naïve and lovable travel companions like in the Wizard of Oz, scarecrows are a staple of the autumnal harvest season. Learn more about how long scarecrows have been around and how they came to be!