Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival

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 Some of the quirkiest and most interesting events in the United Kingdom take place in small towns or villages, which have developed their own traditions over many years. One such event is the Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival, which takes place every August in the village of Kettlewell, near Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales.

Scarecrows have a long history as a way to keep birds away from crops and so protect valuable farm produce. One rather dark theory is that their use was popularised in the Middle Ages after many children - who often used to be responsible for scaring crows away from fields - died of plague. Farmers began stuffing old clothes with straw, adding a turnip or other vegetable as a head, and mounting the result on a pole in the middle of the field.

Scarecrow festivals take place aroud the world, but despite its fame, the festival in Kettlewell is a fairly modern tradition. The first event was held back in 1994 in order to fundraise for the local primary school. Villagers responded enthusiastically to the request to design fun and unusual scarecrows, and over the years the festival has expanded to feature more and more scarecrows and even an official trail. Nowadays, visitors come from far and wide to enjoy the scarecrow displays.

Giant shoe model with assorted child scarecrows

Two nurse scarecrows and a scarecrow patient

Three smartly-dressed scarecrows in a row

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