BERNARDSTON — Longtime Bernardston residents and visitors from across Franklin County flocked to Scarecrow in the Park over the weekend for familiar faces and festival traditions.

Attendees of all ages munched on snacks like maple cream funnel cake, browsed the vendors’ booths and perused the collection of scarecrows on display for the event’s 20th year.

Winners of the $100 prizes were Russ Deane’s Wizard of Oz-inspired scarecrow in the Scariest category, the Laprade and Bernard families’ “Scare Crow” for Most Interesting Use of Materials and The Arbors’ Senior Prom scarecrows in the Prettiest category. Hiking Paws claimed the prize in the Funniest category with a display depicting dogs roasting marshmallows. Lincoln Dobias’ scarecrows, frantically steering a dirt bike away from a group of skeletons in pursuit, earned Judges’ Choice, and Bernardston Elementary School’s fourth grade class won in the Science category for their “Animal Adaptations” display.

Besides the scarecrows, tents with local crafts and homemade creations for sale — from pottery to paper mache pumpkins — packed Cushman Park.

“I have been making it forever for my family, and I wanted to share it with the world,” Bernardston resident Kara Peters said of the “fire cider” she was selling. She listed key ingredients, such as honey, jalapeno, horseradish and turmeric that can help improve gut health.

At Bernardston resident Sara Facto’s tent, earrings made from small everyday objects like Scrabble tiles and plastic gold coins were displayed on the racks.

“I just hold onto things, I hoard little things,” she explained. Looking at the nearby jewelry vendors, Facto said with a chuckle, “But mine is definitely different from other people’s.”

Facto and others said Scarecrow in the Park gives attendees an excuse to venture outside their homes and enjoy sunshine and company.

“With COVID, everybody was so enclosed and now a lot more people are coming out,” she said. “It’s just our neighborhood.”

“It’s more like a social weekend,” agreed Bernardston resident and crafter Tina Hickey.

Her paper mache pumpkins, complete with tongue-depressor teeth, take up to 50 hours to make before she picks a spooky name that fits their orange face. But her passion for pumpkin art makes the hours worth it.

“I say these are my football,” Hickey said with a grin. “My husband watches football, I hate football, so I go in my craft and this is what I create.”

To her right, Bernardston resident and Hickey’s friend Monroe Phillips sold photography depicting places around Franklin County. For Phillips, his art gives viewers “a chance to show the beauty of what the world really is.”

Across the park, the clowns’ balloon animals and a human-powered snowcone machine embraced the silly side of the festival.

“There’s something for everyone,” said Ann MacDonald, who drove from Turners Falls for Scarecrow in the Park.

Thea Leh also made the trip from Turners Falls for the tents and tractors, and an excuse to socialize in the sun “especially when you sit in the office all day,” she stressed.

“There’s always people you know here,” she said.

At noon on Saturday, Leh and her young son, smiling in a green John Deere hat, cheered for the annual antique tractor parade. Pioneer Valley Regional School’s Marching Band kicked it off with an anthem for the antique tractors as they cruised along the parade route, tossing candy to thrilled children on the way.

Twenty years ago, the Bernardston Kiwanis Club brought the festival to life. Brian Hervieux, who joined the club 25 years ago, said Scarecrow in the Park remains one of the club’s signature events. Though admission to Scarecrow in the Park is free, Hervieux said proceeds from the Kiwanis Club’s tent selling burgers and chicken tenders going toward college scholarships for graduating seniors from Pioneer Valley Regional School and Franklin County Technical School. Although scholarships are the main priority, a portion of the funds from Scarecrow in the Park also go to Scouts and recreation departments.

Hervieux said the club sees helping kids as the key to helping a community.

“The important thing for Kiwanis is the children,” he said.