WILTON – The Betty Shibles Memorial Scarecrow Fest and Pumpkin Car Derby will be held Saturday, Oct. 21. The festival has been named in honor of Betty Shibles, a local resident who began organizing events several years ago. Shibles was working on the festival when she died unexpectedly on Sept. 20.
The Wilton Group, with the support of the Shibles family, the town of Wilton, local businesses, the Wilton Free Public Library, and volunteers from the Congregational Church, Tyngtown and Mt. Blue Cheerleaders have put together the day’s event with many of the activities Betty had planned.
The events this year will mostly take place at or near the monument in downtown Wilton or along Main Street.
Participants and their families can start the day off at 7 a.m. with a breakfast at Calzolaio’s or Collins Cakes and Bakes in downtown Wilton. Coffee and baked goods will be available starting at 8 a.m. at Life’s Perks Coffee Shop.
Scarecrow Fest activities will begin at 9 a.m. with Sscarecrows being set up for judging in McGillicuddy Park across from Life’s Perks Coffee Shop.
From 9 a.m. to about 11:15 a.m., there will be face painting, pumpkin carving, painting, and decorating at the Congregational Church. Children can bring their entries in Western Maine Play Museum’s Coloring Contest to Life’s Perks Coffee Shop for judging and display. During this time, pumpkin derby cars can be registered at the Wilton Hardware store.
Starting at 9:30 a.m., there will be pumpkin cookie decorating at Collins Cakes and Bakes and Western Maine Play Museum’s outdoor percussion instruments will be at the monument to try out.
From 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., there will be Scarecrow Story Time, chalk and fall crafts at the Wilton Free Public Library. Also at 10 a.m., chalk will be available to chalk the sidewalk at Life’s Perks Coffee Shop, and the Thrift Store at the Congregational Church will open.
Also at 10 a.m., the Fit Girl 5K race will start on Canal St. For more information, click here: http://www.fitgirlsofwiltonmaine.org/
At 11:15 a.m., there will be a parade with participants lining up at Life’s Perks Coffee Shop. Participants are asked to wear their Halloween costumes, and bring their carved, decorated, or painted pumpkins, and derby car. This year, pets are welcome to participate in the parade.
The parade will start at 11:30 a.m. and walk on the sidewalk to the Monument.
A lunch break will start at about 11:30 a.m. Attendees can bring their own lunch or can patronize local businesses in the food court: Calzolaio’s Pasta Company, the Family Freeze, Collins Bakes and Cakes, the New Great Wall and Fattie McGee’s.
At 12:45 p.m., derby car racers will gather at the Monument for viewing and judging. At 1 p.m., prizes will be announced for the best scarecrow, costume, pet, derby car, coloring sheet, carved, decorated and painted pumpkin.
At 1:15 p.m., derby car racers will line-up in front of Calzolaio’s, where the ramp is located. The race will start at 1:30 p.m. Winners will be announced 2 p.m. or at the conclusion of the race.
From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., pumpkin cookie decorating will continue at Collins’ Bakes and Cakes.
Franklin Savings Bank has generously donated funds for the materials to make the Pumpkin Derby cars. The materials and directions can be picked up at the Wilton Hardware Store right now.
The Shibles family are donating funds to support the Scarecrow Fest. The grandchildren especially want their donations to go towards the prizes – based on wanting children to support other children.
This will be the first (and likely only) sneak peek of our outdoor instruments which were purchased with assistance from the Farmington Rotary. Next year they’ll take up permanent residence in our courtyard, but for now we’re super excited to have these out and available for kids to play on!
Wow, this is a wonderful event. Betty would be so happy that so many Wilton folk are making it happen. I feel that Betty probably had it all planned out and ready to go last month. May this Scarecrow Fest and Pumpkin Derby be an annual event in memory of one dynamic and determined lady.
Anne Soracchi
As a past Wilton Events committee member and one who helped start this event with Betty, I am so happy to see it named for her. She LOVED this event, please keep it going Wilton. She would be so happy!
Franklin County Hypnosis had just spoken with Betty on the Monday before she passed. We promised her we would be there and so we will be. See you all on Saturday!!!