If there was a title for Queen of scarecrows, Ashley Ruttle and her sister Hannah Brown would hold the crown.
For the last five years the sisters have taken out the prize for the winning scarecrow at the Tamborine Mountain Scarecrow Festival.
Ms Ruttle said it’s an important event for them and a way to give back to the community they love.
“We grew up on the mountain, and our artistic creativity has been fostered by our teachers and exposure to the community. We like to give back to the community and encourage the kids to get into art,” she explained.
“Kids are exposed to so much darkness and intensity, so the scarecrow festival brings a light to our community.”
Ms Ruttle said their inspiration comes from nostaligic things that have shaped their childhood and they hope will connect with people.
“The happier the better. We want to make kids smile when they go past,” she said.
“We start thinking about it when we are making the year’s before, but we don’t pull it together until two weeks before the event.
“My husband knows not to speak to me for the whole week when I’m doing scarecrow prep.”
With book week having just been she suggested using it for inspiration and reusing the costumes.
“Concentrate on the expression in the scarecrow’s faces. As soon as you have a good expression that’s what makes it,” Ms Ruttle recommended.
Without giving too much away she said this year’s scarecrow display would be interactive and cross-generational nostalgia, with a chance for people to step within and become part of the scene.
Ms Ruttle encouraged everyone to have a go and experience the joy that watching people appreciate your creation brings.
“We need people to participate so we don’t lose it,” she said.
This year the Scarecrow Festival will be held to coincide with Halloween from October 30 to November 1, with a signature event at Cauldron Distillery on October 31, which will include Highland cows, pig races, roving entertainment, food trucks and market stalls.
The event starts at 1pm and runs through until 8pm.
“We are re-invigorating the festival that brings people up the mountain from Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which will help inject funds into the community and local businesses,” Tamborine Mountain Chamber of Commerce secretary Joolz Bruhn said.
