Methven Scarecrow Trail

The Methven Scarecrow Trail is a hugely popular and fun family event run in the April school holidays. It is suitable for all ages and this year, all generations will come into their own with the 2026 theme of : Once Upon a Time (famous fairytale characters).

Every year, members of the Methven community build scarecrows to a particular theme and these scarecrows, usually around 30+ in number, are scattered around the town for families to find and try to identify the name of the character represented by the different characters. Families or small groups purchase a Trail Map/Entry form from the iHub Information Centre and there are sponsored prizes for the most correct entries and for the most popular scarecrows.

The trail is designed to be an activity that can be done easily by walking the route, with a well timed stop for lunch, within a day, but some groups prefer to spread it over several days if they can. We love seeing groups of children of all ages, often with parents and/or grandparents for added input, out walking with their maps trying to guess the correct identities of the scarecrows.

The scarecrows are all located within the town boundaries for safe walking but some young children find the distances a bit long unless they use bikes or scooters. Some groups like to walk the route in the central village and then use the car to find the more remote scarecrows if the small children (or adults) are tired.

Our makers range from the talented and artistic to the enthusiastic and willing and include business owners, families and school and preschool children.