Press releases

PRESS RELEASE
MAY 2009 - Valkenswaard

6th International Scarecrow Festival in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands

The 6th International Scarecrow Festival in Valkenswaard will take place from October 24th until November 1st 2009. The idea of the festival is so simple, the effect so huge. Just like the scarecrow itself. The essence of the festival is to have participants build 100 scarecrows and to enjoy the surrounding programme with music and theatre. This simple idea astonishes the visitors every time when culture, art and the relaxed way of life in the south of the Netherlands come together.

Fairy-like world
The basis of the festival is set on Saturday, when artists, designers, architects, farmers and creative amateurs construct their vision of the scarecrow. Participants come from all over the country and abroad. Building together at a unique, strange and fairy-like world, the world of the scarecrow.

Music and theatre
For ten days the scarecrows are the centre of the festival. Meanwhile a musical and theatrical programme is provided for a wide audience. Music in all genres, cabaret, kid’s theatre or an afternoon for the elderly; every afternoon and evening is filled with a wide diversity of entertainment. In order to let everyone enjoy this wonderful atmosphere the admission for practically all shows is free of charge.

For the exact programme and more information about the festival: www.vogelverschrikkerfestival.com. The exhibition of scarecrows can be visited throughout the fall break, every day from 09.00 until 23.00 hrs. Location: Frans van Beststraat, Valkenswaard, the Netherlands.

Participants
Environmentalists, birdlovers, architects, designers, builders, artists, farmers, men and women from the Netherlands and abroad who want to contribute to this festival are very welcome to participate on October 24th 2009.
The makers are given sixteen square meters with a wooden stake in the middle (length 2 meters) on which they can attach or build their scarecrow. The maker takes care of the material the scarecrow will be made of, in order to guarantee a variety of scarecrows. Costs of participation are 20 euro. This includes: soup, bread, coffee and soft drinks during the building up, a wooden stake and a nametag mentioning the name of the scarecrow and the name and profession of the maker.

Scarecrow Kssst-factor, 2007 - picture: Els van den Berg