Scarecrows will make return to Peachland fall fair

Photo: District of Peachland

Plans are coming together for Peachland's fall fair

Peachland’s scarecrow festival is returning as part of the annual fall fair.

The 106th edition of the fair, set for Sept. 6-7, is also adding zucchini races to lineup.

Peachland hosted a scarecrow festival from 2016-18. Declining entries and vandalism problems helped kill the event.

The new version will be a scaled-down model, Daniela Evans, fall fair society vice-president, told council on Tuesday.

“We’re going to run the Zucchini 500 races. We’re going to offer an opportunity for vehicles to be made from zucchinis and to race them down a track. We’re currently designing the event, which will be held on Sunday,” she said.

“We’d also like to bring back a smaller version of the scarecrow competition – invite businesses and community groups to create a scarecrow ... to use these as decorations for our fair.”

The mayor was happy to see scarecrows returning.

“The scarecrow competition that you’re going bring back is great. I was part of the first one, the second one, and we had to stop for reasons. I think it’s a very good addition to the fall fair,” said Patrick Van Minsel.

The society has 35 volunteers planning the fair, which features new events and categories every year, Evans said.

The 2024 fair had more than 798 entries, she said.

The theme this year is “Plant a Seed,” which Evans said was inspired by two young entrants, aged 3 and 6, from last year’s fair.

The event will include live music, face painting and photos with exotic animals,

The Peachland Library will host a Plant a Seed-themed event on May 3, she said. All students at Peachland Elementary will be provided with free seeds from the library and West Coast Seeds. Organizers will hold a raffle, appear at the farmers’ market and will have a float in the Canada Day parade.

The Peachland Riding Club will put on the Fall Fair Ranch Horse Classic on the same weekend. The two groups will support and promote each others’ events, Evans said.

The fair brochure with entry details will be available soon all over Peachland and West Kelowna, she said.

There will be more pies than ever for eating, supplied by Just Pies in Penticton, Evans said.

Coun. David Collins wanted organizers to create a rule that the baker of the winning competition pie be required to produce pies for eating at the following year’s event.

Debit and credit cards will be accepted this year.