There's magic in downtown Exeter. Maybe it's the small town charm and the festive attitude. Some say it's the scarecrows.
Connie Roche said, "It's fall, fall colors and a lot of scarecrows to look at."
The scarecrows are something new and there's a lot of them. Some are sitting on benches outside businesses. Most are on display behind glass but all of them are here for a reason. To promote the big Fall Festival on Saturday and attract people from out of town.
Reggie Ellis said, "I think it gets people walking around and that's always the key especially in a small town."
It seems to be working. Shanna Trevino is visiting from Bakersfield and says she'll be back on Saturday to tour the town. "Shame on me for neglecting it...I just think it's beautiful and breath-taking."
It's also bringing the town together. Sarah Graves and her co-workers spent 3 days putting "Ma and Pa" together. "pretty good the whole community can come together and do something different...so it's not always business all the time," she said.
There are similar festivals in places like Cambria where hundreds of scarecrows are on display. Sandy Blankenship with Exeter's Chamber of Commerce says that would be nice but this is a good start.
Blankenship said, "This year we have 27...next year we hope to have more and each year it will grow and grow."
Exeter's Fall Festival is on Saturday. It kicks off at 10:00 a.m. with a parade and a 10k run.
The Scarecrows will be on display all month.
TXT 24
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