They have clearly set out what constitutes a scarecrow and how the exhibit will be scored. There will as always be three sets of judges. Unlike other years when all judges examined every aspect of the scarecrow, this year each set of judges will be given 1 or 2 criteria under which to judge. This will ensure fairer and more consistency in awarding of scores.
New categories have been introduced and you will also be asked when you are completing your entry if you are a household, group or a business. These categories will then be judged against each other. This will ensure that a young family in Durrow are not in direct competition with a large group of adults e.g. Men’s Shed. In addition, exhibits of two or more scarecrows will only compete with similar sized entries. Information on all of these new additions are clearly set out in the leaflet.
The most exciting addition is the award for ‘Best Residential Community’. This award is in recognition of the work and effort of the residents of Durrow in bringing the town alive with scarecrows and welcoming visitors into their streets and estates. The award which will be separate to the prize fund will be valued at €300 and be awarded to the relevant Resident’s Association / Group. The winners of the award will be determined by the percentage of houses in the street/estate which participate in the competition plus the average score of the scarecrow entries.
Please contact the committee to confirm your area’s wish to be considered for this award. If you have any queries in relation to the new guidelines or entry criteria, please contact Marian on (086) 8390266 or marian@durrow.ie by email.