Durrow hosts All Ireland Scarecrow Championships
With over 13,000 visitors to the Durrow Scarecrow Festival each year, there clearly is something about scarecrows. The Co Laois festival now in its fifth year was launched last week and will take place from Sunday 27th July to Monday 4th August.
Nominated for ‘Best Festival of 2012’ and ‘Best Festival of 2013’ by the Irish Times Ticket Awards, and with the festival getting bigger and better each year we are expecting even more visitors. The festival provides fantastic family entertainment, value for money along with a sprinkling of quirkiness. The Durrow Scarecrow Festival is home to the All Ireland Scarecrow Championships, with over 150 scarecrows competing for the coveted title of ‘All Ireland Scarecrow Champion 2014’. There is a prize fund of €3,000 up for grabs with the overall winner receiving €1,000. Following feedback from last year’s judging panel, this year judges will award in a slightly different manner which will ensure that the best ‘made’ scarecrows are not the only winners. ‘Most Humourous’, ‘Most Topical’ and others will also be on the awards podium.
The event is organised by the Durrow Development Forum with a clear focus of providing great value entertainment with music, family friendly shows and craft demonstration workshops along with much, much more over the nine jam-packed days. This year will even see our very own Scarecrow Forge and Foundry so visitors can see how the farms Scarecrows of timespast worked on. We have put increased focus on the The Durrow Scarecrow Festival Teenzone, with teen activities each weeknight such as hair and make-up workshops along with teen bounce bonanza. Back by popular demand will be the IWW Wrestling Warriors, Woof and Wellie Walk (proceeds from which will be shared with Cara Rescue Dogs) and ‘Scarecrow Bootcamp’. Music will include Abbeyfolk and Cua Music along with many more. The Durrow Scarecrow Festival Arts and Craft exhibition is a delight to take a break from the busy festival and take a relaxing stroll through the delightful display.
Other events include Outdoor Market, Duck Derby, Teddy Bears Picnic, Photography Competition and Children’s Summer Camp...not forgetting the 200 scarecrows scattered about!
Durrow Development Forum would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all our business sponsors and supporters of the festival along with Laois County Council and Failte Ireland for their ongoing support without which the festival would fail to exist.
Full details of the Programme of Events and entry information for the All Ireland Scarecrow Championships including terms and conditions are available on www.durrow.ie and on facebook – DurrowScarecrowFestival.