Kettlewell's Annual Scarecrow Festival and Trail

Scarecrow festivals happen all over Ireland, with Ballon in Co. Carlow and Durrow in Co. Laois, two examples. However, I'm going to bring you over to England to learn about a Scarecrow Festival in Kettlewell.

The Scarecrow Festival is a yearly event in the charming village of Kettlewell. Residents create and display over 100 scarecrows throughout the village, each one more imaginative than the last. They dress up these scarecrows in all sorts of outfits, and often, they are seen sporting a variety of coats, from raincoats to winter coats, and even fancy dress coats.

One of the fun activities children can participate in is the Scarecrow Trail. This is a treasure hunt where children are given a map to find different scarecrows. Each scarecrow has a clue with it, leading to the next one. It's a delightful adventure that lets children explore the village, appreciate the creativity of the scarecrows, and - of course - look at all the different types of coats.

Activities

  1. What is the Scarecrow Festival?
  2. Where is the Scarecrow Festival held?
  3. What do residents of Kettlewell do during the Scarecrow Festival?
  4. What is the Scarecrow Trail?
  5. How does the Scarecrow Festival promote creativity and exploration?
  6. Why do you think the residents of Kettlewell started the tradition of the Scarecrow Festival?
  7. Create your own scarecrow at home using old clothes and stuff it with newspapers. Don't forget to give it a colourful and interesting coat!
  8. Use a digital drawing tool to design a coat for a scarecrow. Think about what kind of coat a scarecrow would need in different weather conditions.