Scarecrows rule at Main Street Fall Festival

It was a scarecrow Saturday at the Main Street Fall Festival in Gardnerville’s Heritage Park.

Main Street Gardnerville Director Jen Nalder agreed that it was the biggest turnout the event has seen since it started in 2015.

Master of Ceremonies Mike Olsen posted results of the annual coffin races to social media.

“The racers were all energetic with the final race coming down to StorAll’s ninth year running coffin Black Betty and the defending champion the Main Street Gardnerville Scarecrow team,” Olsen wrote. “Main Street took home the trophy with an exceptionally fast run to return to the Winners Circle. Congratulations Main Street.”

The Main Street team established dominance early, combining a light coffin and Nalder as rider with an enthusiastic team.

Two entries reportedly dropped out before the race beforehand leaving four contestants, including Dance Workshop’s princess carriage and the ever ebullient E. Clampus Vitus.

The Clampers coffin came off the rails during the second heat. Reports are that the first heat featured a couple of crashes into the hay bales lining the track.

“Be careful,” an official warned onlookers before the second heat. “These folks have trouble pushing in a straight line.”

East Fork Gallery was running through its supply of newspapers donated by 

The Record-Courier as scarecrow makers created a whole new generation for the 38^th year.

Gardnerville residents Jill Andrews and Carson Valley Middle School student Grace Couwenhoven, 11, built their first scarecrow on Saturday

“Someone asked for hay,” according to one organizer.

Gardnerville residents Jill Andrews and Carson Valley Middle School student Grace Couwenhoven, 11, built their first scarecrow on Saturday, though Andrews said she’s been going to the festival for years.

Andrews said she spotted an article about Douglas High graduate and 2022 Homecoming Queen Addy Doerr. She said she texted Doerr that the article would be preserved inside the scarecrow, perhaps not far from its heart.

East Fork is soliciting entries from scarecrow makers who would like to participate in a contest. Register scarecrows at the Gallery by Wednesday. People can vote for their favorites at eastforkartists@gmail.com.

While the coffin races were a big draw, Heritage Park featured lots of vendors and live entertainment from Moxy Ruckus, Front Porch and Micki Rae.

Performers from Dance Workshop performed “The Time Warp” while All About Dance demonstrated aerial arts.

The Mendiko Eskaldun Basque Dancers performed, and Northwest Martial Arts conducted demonstrations.