The four figures outside of Tom’s Barbershop in Greenwood look so realistic, you can almost hear their harmonies.
Dog the Bounty Hunter glares at passersby outside of Angie Mardis Bail Bonds. Amelia Earhart and Rosie the Riveter speak to the amazing things that women can do.
Monsters of all kinds, from the lovable Sully from “Monsters Inc.” to more terrifying ghouls such as Jason, Chucky and Freddy Krueger, frolic in downtown Franklin.
Scarecrows have returned in yards and in front of businesses throughout Johnson County. More than 200 people and groups have signed up to take part in this year’s Scarecrow Madness, a community event encouraging participants to put together the most creative displays they can conjure up.
This is the largest the decorating contest has ever been, with scarecrows on display in every part of the county, proving that the fun-loving residents all over are dying to share their Halloween spirit.
“I’m overwhelmed and amazed at the participation, and how well it’s been received,” said Jeanie Cole, a local realtor and creator of Scarecrow Madness. “Turnout has been super. “I did not know it would grow this big, this fast.”
Scarecrow Madness is a partnership between Jeanie Cole Realty and the Delta Lambda chapter of Tri Kappa in Greenwood. Cole has been the engine behind Scarecrow Madness, inspired after she discovered a similar community effort while traveling in New Hampshire.
Each year, the town of Chester and the surrounding county features whimsical and creatively decorated scarecrows. The displays are a yearly fundraiser for the Chester Historical Society, and bring the entire community around a fun and festive contest — which appealed to Cole, as did the potential to use it locally as a fundraiser for an area nonprofit.
Participants buy a kit that includes a decorated burlap bag head and a stick to mount it on. At that point, it’s time to let their creativity take over.
Guy Fieri, the fiery chef and TV personality, greets diners as they come into Ann’s Restaurant in downtown Franklin. Outside of ASSIST Indiana’s offices, a pair of cheerfully colorful clowns do tricks for passing traffic.
A group of friendly hobo scarecrows gather around a campfire ring at the corner of State Road 135 and State Road 44, the brainchild of Dugan Air Heating & Cooling.
The three witches from “Hocus Pocus” haunt the entrance to Indiana Members Credit Union in Franklin. Jack Skellington, Sally and even the ghost dog Zero present a frightful tableau on Madison Street in Franklin.
“I have seen more creativity this year than every before. People are going above and beyond to expand their displays,” Cole said.
Jeff Davis from Tom’s Barbershop had been planning his barbershop quartet for more than a year. He first learned about Scarecrow Madness in 2020, after seeing a scarecrow displayed at Jockamo’s Upper Crust Pizza across the street from his shop.
He committed to doing a display this year. His shop has been in operation in Greenwood for 65 years, and he thought he could pay tribute to that heritage by recreating the famous Norman Rockwell painting of a barbershop quartet singing together.
“We’re a barbershop here, and I thought it would tie right into it,” Davis said. “Our shop started in 1956, and we have an old tradition here, so it all fit.”
Locations of the scarecrow displays are plotted on an interactive online map, allowing people to drive around and check out the wacky, scary and just plain fun locations across the county, Cole said.
Since debuting in October of 2019, participation has grown from 138 scarecrows sold to 176 last year to more than 200 this time around.
Proceeds from the event benefit Tri Kappa in Greenwood. The organization supports a variety of community initiatives, from the Salvation Army to Riley Cheer Guild to Meals on Wheels. Tri Kappa members have helped Cole for the past few years, from decorating and sewing scarecrow heads to hosting a booth at the Johnson County fair to sign people up.
A new facet of Scarecrow Madness was added this year. For a price, people could contact Cole to “crow” a friend or family member’s yard. That person would wake up to find their lawns covered in black plastic crows.
The addition has been popular, as has been people buying “crow insurance.”
“I’ve crowed about a half-dozen people, and they in turn either buy a scarecrow or pay for a year’s worth of anti-crow insurance, to ward off any murder of crows in the yard for the next year,” Cole said. “That has been a barrel of laughs for everyone involved.”
Awards will be given out for the most popular designs, though a planned banquet and masquerade ball scheduled for Oct. 23 had to be cancelled, Cole said.
As the popularity of Scarecrow Madness has grown, Cole is excited to see what next year brings.
“I just want to thank everyone for their time and effort of people putting their scarecrows out. It takes a lot of effort to do some of these, and I appreciate it,” she said. “It shows that we have a wonderful bunch of people in Johnson County.”
