LISLE, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Fall leaves aren't the only things that are turning heads at the Morton Arboretum, with nearly 50 pop culture-inspired scarecrows taking over the grounds for the arboretum's annual fall festival
"All of the scarecrows are created by scout troops, and they get very creative every year," said Tari Marshall, director of public relations and social media at the Morton Arboretum.
Characters from the Nightmare Before Christmas, the Addams Family, Star Wars, Barbie and more take a new life with hay, tin cans, pumpkins, plastic bags and a mix of other ingenuine pieces along Meadow Lake. Guests are asked to vote for their favorite, as the annual competition for best scarecrow takes place.
AnnMarie Welser
"It's really up to the kids to determine what they want to do each year," said Marshall. "There are no directions, they just have to be creative as they want to be."
Among the finished pieces: A giant bag of McDonald's fries serving some serious side-eye, a sassy tin woman, and a smiling s'mores. Teams of local troops began designing their scarecrows in August, and now they've come to life among stunning colors.
AnnMarie Welser
"The arboretum is a great place to see fall color because we have such a diversity of species of trees," said Marshall.
The leaves have begun to turn as the arboretum's fall color festival also begins. Guests can visit all month long to enjoy the weekend festival that includes apple cider donuts, fall inspired beer and more. Other fall events include the upcoming glass pumpkin patch which showcases over 7,000 hand blown glass pumpkins.
The free Scarecrow trail is included with admission to the Arboretum. For more information about the Morton Arboretum's fall events, click here.
