NOTE (8:32 am): This post has been updated to include a photo of a scarecrow that arrived for the competition late Monday or very early Tuesday morning, and an updated photo of a scarecrow that was completed also late Monday or early Tuesday morning.

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What is a scarecrow’s favorite fruit?

One of this year’s entries for the Second Annual Newtown Parks & Recreation Scarecrow Contest shares the answer with those who visit Fairfield Hills before Friday, October 29.

Scarecrows have been appearing on the town-owned campus since last week, and all entries were due by sunset October 25. Local groups, businesses, and families were invited to enter the contest by "adopting" one of the lamp posts within Fairfield Hills for a $25 entry fee, and installing a scarecrow of their own conception.

As of 4:30 that afternoon, 26 scarecrows had arrived for public voting and many were already checking them out. Some wanted to see them before predicted rains arrived Monday night, along with the potential of damaging or even destroying some of the carefully crafted entries.

Voting Open Daily

Voting opens this morning, and continues through Friday, October 29. There is no charge to participate.

Ballots and the ballot box are available in the vestibule of Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street. A ballot template can also be downloaded here.

The public is invited to vote once each day of the competition. Scarecrows are competing in the categories of Most Original, Newtown Pride, and People's Choice.

Votes will be received during community center hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 6 am-9 pm; and Friday until 4:30 pm.

There are seasonably creepy entries this year, including at least one clearly paying homage to the original use of the Fairfield Hills property.

For many, it is easy to tell which business or group is behind the creations. Others do not give away that information so easily, relying instead on letting viewers enjoy the creativity of each scarecrow.

Scarecrows can be spotted from the moment visitors enter the campus through its main entrance. There are scarecrows along Trades Lane, at the Trades Lane-Keating Farms Avenue intersection; along Keating Farms Avenue, south to the corner with Washington Avenue; Simpson Street (with many in front of the community-senior center); one on 1st Street, and one on D.G. Beers Boulevard, to the north of the municipal center.

The photos for this story have been put in the order of their lamp post number. Not all lamp posts were used for entries — those building scarecrows were allowed to select their preferred post on which to affix their entry.

This is why the numbers noted within the photos are not sequential. More than 140 lamp posts were available for use across the campus.

Not all entries had visible numbers on Monday afternoon; those that did have them included with their photos.

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Associate Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.