Every year at the Loblolly festival put on by Laurel Main Street, there is a scarecrow competition. Downtown merchants are challenged to create unique scarecrows to place in front of their businesses for the annual festival. This contest has become a tradition that is looked forward to by Laurelites and Loblolly attendees alike.
This year’s scarecrow competition in downtown Laurel was one of the most elaborate in a few years. Many of the businesses in the historic downtown district made scarecrow displays that ranged from the headless horseman, to a scarecrow that was in a hay bail office. All the displays were elaborate and well put together. Anonymous judges select the three best displays for year-long bragging rights. The winners of the scarecrow competition were, in third place, Brook and Ray with a display called, Marilyn Moncrow. In second, Oak Street Salon, with the headless horseman. In first, was Magnolia State Bank with a Watkins tornado in pine straw.
by Sam Huston
