For ten days each spring, the little village of Wray in Lancashire is overrun with colourful characters as they host their fun and quirky festival. Wray Scarecrow Festival sees creations of all shapes and sizes, from four centimetres to four metres tall, appear around the village. And all of them are lovingly made and displayed by the residents.
Each year brings a new theme for the scarecrows and this year’s is Celebrate. You can pick up a programme for £3 which gives you a map as well as games and puzzles to add extra fun to your visit. Or you can simply wander around the village as you please. And not simply there to entertain, the scarecrows (OK, their creators) will be competing to win prizes for their efforts. So, you can expect lots of imagination and skill to go into these quirky creations.
In addition to the scarecrows, the ten-day festival programme incorporates a range of events including a road race, cycling event, fun fair and parade.
Events at Wray Scarecrow Festival 2022
The festival begins on Saturday 23rd April with a 10k road race, as well as the many scarecrows on display. Then, the following day sees the 100k Bowland Forest Populaire cycling event get under way. If you fancy a ride through the undulating local landscape, entry is £8 on the day. A football knockout tournament and a car boot sale also take place on the Sunday, so there’s plenty going on.
During the week there’ll be maypole dancing and a book signing to enjoy, but perhaps the highlight is Friday evening’s Giant Scarecrow Parade led by the Batala Samba Reggae Band. Then, over the bank holiday weekend the fun fair opens up and Wray history tours are led by one of the local residents.
Bank holiday Monday (2nd May) sees a full day of events as the annual fair fills the school fields with activities and entertainment. This includes have-a-go dog agility, a drumming workshop, live music, Vikings and The Great Scarecrow Ball Race.
For more quirky springtime festivals and fairs, check out our page here!
When: 23rd April – 2nd May 2022
Where: Wray, Lancashire
£: It’s free to see the scarecrows. Admission to the fair costs £8 for parking and entry to the field. A programme costs £3 and tickets prices for special events vary
More info: wrayscarecrows.wordpress.com
Leave a comment