Robot scarecrows rule St. Charles fest contest

Last year, Pelto won a second place award for his "Dancing with the Stars" entry. He decided on an Elvis entry this year to mark the 30th anniversary of the star's death.

When members of the St. Charles Singles Club decided to mark their group's 30th anniversary by entering this year's Scarecrow Contest, they figured it was best to keep it simple.

But they couldn't help themselves.

What started as a couple doll-sized scarecrows with cute decorations quickly became a mechanical masterpiece made up of dancing robots, music, flashing lights and a headless horseman that glows in the dark.

"It just grew and grew and grew until it was more than full-sized," member Marianne Scoggin said of the larger-than-life display, which debuts today at the St. Charles Scarecrow Festival.

It's difficult to imagine a comparably elaborate scarecrow display -- until you trounce the grounds of Lincoln Park, at East Main and Fourth streets.

On Thursday, scarecrow builders from across the Fox Valley flooded the park to set up displays complete with all the bells and whistles.

The competition in this year's contest is tough -- particularly in the mechanical division, where the singles club entered its first display, based on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

Eighteen groups are competing for the mechanical title this year, the largest showing ever in that division, organizers said.

For contestant Betty Marmolejo of Aurora, there's no reason to sweat over whether her family's "Harry Potter 7: Escape from Gringotts" display wins.

The fun of building the exhibit -- which includes a mechanical dragon and took three vehicles to move to the park -- was enough of an award, she said.

"It was an educational process," Marmolejo said of her family's first attempt in the mechanical division. "The journey was the fun, so whatever happens is icing on the cake."

This year, there are more than 150 scarecrow entries total in five categories. Scarecrow Festival goers can vote for their favorites between 9 a.m. today and 2 p.m. Sunday at stations in Lincoln Park and Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave., and on the river walk near city hall, 2 E. Main St.

Contest winners will be named at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Lincoln Park main stage.