Cashmere’s annual Scare-Crazy kicks off around town with spooky displays

CASHMERE — October in Cashmere means straw hats in shop windows, witches riding broomsticks above porch rails, and the kind of small-town one-upmanship that makes people linger on Cottage Avenue. Scare-Crazy, the community’s month-long scarecrow tour, is back, and the invitation is simple: Pick up a map, walk the loop during daylight hours, and vote for the displays that made you smile the widest.

The Cashmere Chamber of Commerce organizes the tour each fall and prints free maps so folks can find every nook and cul-de-sac entry. Maps are available at the Chamber office at 103 Cottage Ave., and in recent years have also been available at IGA Martin’s Market, and at Side Street — easy pickup points if you’re already downtown for coffee or errands. The Chamber says touring and voting run through Oct. 31, giving families the rest of the month to make the rounds.

If you’re new to Scare-Crazy, expect more creativity than cornfields. You might see a dentist with a toothy ghoul at the door, a bank with a buttoned-up “Business Barbie,” or a shopkeeper’s ode to Bigfoot — plus the odd classic stuffed with actual straw. Businesses take the bragging rights seriously; neighbors do, too. That’s half the fun.

Just swing by the Chamber for a free map and ballot, stroll the route during the day, and turn in your vote by Halloween. If you need a hand or want to confirm a pickup spot for maps and ballots, call or text the Chamber at 509-782-7404.

Scare-Crazy has grown into a signature October tradition here. It’s part walking art show, part friendly competition, all community. If you see someone photographing every stop, it’s probably your neighbors trading favorites or your local paper gathering a gallery for next week’s edition. Keep an eye out; we’re sharing the ones that caught our eye so far.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media