Forget the flapping coat sleeves and battered hat stuck on a pole: The 20-some scarecrows on display at Frog Alley – the stone ruins in Uptown Kingston that once were the foundation of a 17th-century sawmill and gristmill – will lend new chic to this fashion-challenged garden fixture, elevating form above function.
The show is scheduled for Saturday, September 22, and participants include some of Kingston’s top artistic talent, including Robert Tonner, whose doll manufacturing company is headquartered on Wall Street; Maria Philips, proprietor of the nautical-themed Boitson’s restaurant; and painter Joe Concra, who is founder of the O+ Festival. Guaranteed, these scarecrows won’t be breaking into “If I Only Had a Brain.”
Not just locals are participating: Hyde Park Historic Properties curator Frank Futral is also designing a scarecrow, and everyone is encouraged to enter his or her own scarecrow creation. Prizes will be awarded for Best Design, Most Original Concept and Most Frightening Creation.
The event, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will also feature a pumpkin-carving demonstration and a class for kids on how to make a scarecrow. The scarecrow display and contest are hosted by Friends of Historic Kingston and the Junior League of Kingston and sponsored by the Dietz Stadium Diner, Deising’s Bakery and other local businesses.
Stylish Scarecrows at historic Frog Alley, located in Uptown Kingston, are on display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 22. Enter your own; for more information visit www.fohk.org or contact fhkevents@yahoo.com.
Join the family! 
