As you drive to Deer Valley Resort on State Route 224, it’s impossible to miss the McPolin Farm that stands as the gateway to the town of Park City. This iconic farm, purchased by the citizens of Park City in 1990, is meant to enhance the entry corridor and maintain some precious open space.

Since those days, the barn and farm have been extensively refurbished, stabilized and regularly maintained, mostly through the continuous support and work of the Friends of the Farm volunteer organization.  The McPolin Farm is also available for community events like the annual Scarecrow Festival which kicked off on September 27 and will be displayed through Halloween. A variety of scarecrows are displayed along the paved, multi-use trail that parallels the main highway.

On the last Saturday of September, Parkites created themed and handmade scarecrows. Everyone put on their creative hats, brought clothes, shoes and accessories and created a collection of unique characters.

In exchange for a donation benefiting the McPolin Farm, organizers provided the stuffing material and a support stand for each scarecrow. Events including games, pumpkin carving and face painting were held while the scarecrows were assembled. Creativity went wild and the end result is stunning!

Now the show is yours to enjoy. This past weekend, we took our grandson and he had the time of his life discovering the whimsical and sometimes spooky creatures that were lining the path. We checked each scarecrow from head to toe, laughed when we read their stage name and took lots of photos. Following is a pictorial summary of what we liked most:

From Snoopy to Star Wars, characters are always popular; there’s something for everyone…

The majority of creations are just fun and whimsical…

What would a display of scarecrows be, without a few crow-creations?

Of course, there is always room for the spooky kind…

Education wasn’t forgotten either!

…As well as worthy causes, like the ALS bucket challenge.

What would Park City be without sports of all kinds?

… and skiing, of course!

But above anything else, Snow, and lots of it!

Don’t wait; bring your kids or grandchildren along with their friends, and enjoy a day out. Just make sure to park across the street in the parking lot and walk through the tunnel to get across the highway to the Farm. Everyone will be guaranteed a great time, will get plenty of fresh inspiration and perhaps will want to create their very own Scarecrow next September!