Costa Mesa’s Scarecrow Festival returns to Lions Park Saturday

A Costa Mesa fall favorite is scheduled to make its annual appearance Saturday afternoon, as the city-sponsored Scarecrow Festival returns to Lions Park from 2 to 6 p.m. with a costume parade, pumpkin decorating and, of course, scarecrows.

Reportedly started in 1938 by Newport Boulevard business owners who decorated and displayed the straw-filled figures in a contest designed to increase foot traffic into local retail stores, the event has morphed over the decades into an autumnal family festival.

As such, visitors to Lions Park this Saturday will be able to trick-or-treat their way through several stations, get their faces painted in a glamorous or ghoulish theme and show off their costumes in the parade.

A children’s costume parade was the highlight of Costa Mesa’s 2021 Scarecrow Festival, which drew approximately 1,000 people to the city’s Lions Park.

(Spencer Grant)

Presented by the city’s Parks and Community Services Department, the free event will also feature a live deejay, inflatable corn maze, stilt walkers and a Princess Pumpkin Patch where kids can pose for photos with Disney Princesses Belle and Aurora in a fall-themed display.

City Recreation Manager Monique Villasenor said Wednesday the festival was moved this year from a morning time slot to the late afternoon to convey a cooler, darker Halloween vibe.

“Scarecrow on Wheels” took top honors at the 2021 Scarecrow Festival in Costa Mesa.

(Spencer Grant)

“You never know what you’re going to get in October, but with our scarecrows and the scenery and decorations we hope that it really has that evening feel.”

Organizers will operate game booths and a slate of kid-friendly activities within walking distance of the newly renovated Lions Park, aka Airplane Park, where an outdoor instrument playing area was recently installed.

Last year, a total of 13 local groups and individuals submitted their scarecrows. Some entries were traditional, while others leaned toward cute or monstrous and still others carried a theme or message relating to their parent organization.

The 2021 winner, “Scarecrow on Wheels,” was submitted by Costa Mesa Alliance of Better Streets to promote bikeability.

Stilt walkers Morgan and Joy Halverson of Mission Viejo’s Circus Joy dance in front of deejay Eduardo Iniestra, aka D.J. Kaboom, at the 2021 Scarecrow Festival in Costa Mesa’s Lions Park.

(Spencer Grant)

Villasenor said approximately 1,000 people turned out for last year’s event, despite the festival’s relocation from its pre-pandemic home at Fairview Park, where the contest took place over two days and included miniature train rides from the Orange County Model Engineers.

“People were really excited to come and see the scarecrow contest, while other people may have come for the fall festival and were hearing about the [event’s] history for the first time,” she said. “We prepared for 200 kids to go through the trick-or-treat stations last year, and we blew through that in the first hour of the event.”

Taking notes from last year, organizers this year have planned for a bigger and better festival at Lions Park.

“We really want every kid to be able to get a prize, have some candy and show off their costumes,” Villasenor said. “[And] we want to demonstrate that we can make this an event area that serves all of Costa Mesa.”

Lions Park is located at 1845 Park Ave., in Costa Mesa. For more, visit costamesaca.gov/scarecrow.

Rafael, Veronica and Amelia Barraza pose with a giant pumpkin in October 2021 at Lions Park.

(Spencer Grant)

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