The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

More than 4,500 people visited Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Orange, from Oct. 8 through Nov. 1 to see decorated scarecrows at the 6th Annual Scarecrow Festival at Shangri La Gardens. Visitors could vote for their favorite scarecrow and winners were announced at Autumn Fair held Saturday, Nov. 1.

More than 60 scarecrows were created by local families, non-profit groups and businesses, making this event the largest scarecrow festival in Texas. The Scarecrow Festival Contest winners for 2014 are:

Business I Category

1^st PlaceFrey’s Landscape “Scarey Crow”

2^nd PlaceSoutheast Texas Hospice “Sponge Bob Scarecrow”

3^rd PlaceCottage Cuttings “Mr. Cutter...Troll”

Honorable MentionInnovations Hair Design & Day Spa “Olaf Loves SUN!”

Business II Category

1^st PlaceSabine Federal Credit Union “Olaf”

2^nd PlaceFirst Financial Bank “E.T.”

3^rd PlaceSouthwest Texas Home Health “Untitled”

Honorable MentionInternational Paper “Papermaking Pete”

Church

1^st Place St. Paul’s Kids for Christ

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

2^nd PlaceSalem United Methodist Church “Armed and Dangerous”

3^rd PlaceTrinity Baptist Church “God Bless America”

Honorable MentionFaith UMC – Stand25 “Untitled”

Family Category

1^st PlaceWatson-Wheeler Family “Untitled”

2^nd PlaceDavid Cagle “Constable Crow”

3^rd PlaceWayne and Alice McCray “Captain McScary”

Organizations

1^st PlaceChildren’s Garden Committee “Froggy McRibbit”

2^nd PlaceIvy League Garden Club “Ms. Ivy & Family Gardening”

3^rd PlaceKimmy Mazzagate – H.E.A.R.T. “H.E.A.R.T.”

Honorable MentionGirl Scout Troop 3262 “Untitled”

School Category

1^st PlaceJulie Landry’s 3^rd Grade Class – LCE “Cat In The Hat”

2^nd PlaceEvadale ISD Art Honors Society “Nightmare Before Christmas”

3^rd PlaceSt. Mary Catholic School “Freedom is not Free”

Honorable MentionVidor Jr. High Art Club “Mr. Spare Parts Scarecrow”

Each year Shangri La Director, Rick Lewandowski, spends hours viewing the scarecrows to discover which ones will win the Director’s Awards. Lewandowski said, “This is difficult because you can see everyone was mindful to use recycled or reusable materials and it’s obvious that all the designers and their teams spent a great deal of time and energy to create unique and memorable scarecrows people of all ages could enjoy.”

The Director’s Choice winners for 2014 are:

Most Popular Scarecrow:Frey’s Landscape “Scarey Crow”

Best Use of Recycled/Reused Materials: Vidor Jr. High Art Club “Mr. Spare Parts Scarecrow”

Best Recycling Message: Wayne and Alice McCray “Captain McScary”

Best Original Theme for a Scarecrow:Cottage Cuttings “Mr. Cutter...Troll”

Best Botanical Theme Using Artificial Materials:Sabine River Ford “New Phase in Town”

Best Wildlife-themed Exhibit: Sabine-Neches Master Naturalists “Whoo Are The Master Naturalists”

Lewandowski stated that this was one of the best Scarecrow Festivals and Autumn Fair events because of all the businesses, groups, and families that participated in making the scarecrows. Lewandowski said, “We thank the scarecrow-makers and the scarecrow-viewers for taking the time to participate in this wonderful fall event. We are thrilled that you enjoy seeing the gardens in the autumn and bring your families and friends to enjoy the scarecrows”.