Scarecrow Festival

Fall fun is taking over Sehmel Homestead Park. Bring the whole family to the annual Scarecrow Festival Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 for a day filled with local vendors, live music, food, games, animals and plenty of autumn adventures. Join us from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Festival Highlights

• 70+ Market Vendors: Shop local and discover handmade goods, unique finds, treats and more from more than 70 vendors.
• Live Music: Enjoy live music throughout the festival as you browse, play and take in the fall atmosphere.
• Food Trucks: Come hungry! Grab lunch or a tasty treat from one of our food truck vendors.
• Animal Petting Zoo: Get up close with friendly animals from Miracle Ranch.
• Family Fun: There’s something for everyone, including a Pee Wee Rodeo, carnival games, bounce houses, a craft area, tractor hayrides.
• Pumpkin Launchers: Take aim and launch a pumpkin! All money raised supports our financial assistance program, helping make recreation opportunities more accessible to all.

Scarecrow Contest

Explore the festival and check out the creative scarecrows, then vote for your favorite! Interested in participating? Scarecrow Contest entries are FREE and a great way to get your business in front of lots of people! Applications are due Sept. 30. Submit yours today!

There are four award categories up for grabs for this year’s Scarecrow Contest: Most Unique, People’s Choice, Most Creative, PenMet Parks’ Choice.

Skip the backup, take the FREE shuttle!

Scarecrow Festival is a popular event, and parking at Sehmel Homestead Park can fill quickly. Avoid parking backups and long lines at the park entrance by parking at Gig Harbor High School and taking the free shuttle.

Two shuttles will run every 15 minutes between Gig Harbor High School, 5101 Rosedale Street NW, and Sehmel Homestead Park throughout the day. One shuttle will be equipped with a wheelchair lift.

Park in the lower lot of the high school and look for an A-frame sign indicating the shuttle pick up location. Shuttles start at 10:45 a.m. The last shuttle will drop off at the high school at 4:45 p.m.

Help FISH Food Bank

We’re partnering with FISH Food Bank to collect food donations during the festival. Help support local families by bringing one or more of the items FISH is currently seeking:

• Soup and stews
• Breakfast items: cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix and syrup
• Juice
• Baking products: cake mixes, frosting, flour and sugar
• Peanut butter and jam

Bring your family, invite your friends and make a day of it at Sehmel Homestead Park. We’ll see you at the Scarecrow Festival!