Build a Scarecrow Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

The first Sunday of July is Build a Scarecrow Day. The United States observes it on July 2 this year. To prevent animals and birds from destroying their crops, farmers construct scarecrows. Ancient Europeans practised this tradition to ward off evil spirits who were considered to bring drought and famine by leaving human-like straw puppets.

The background of Build a Scarecrow Day

Scarecrows have been around for millennia and may be found in many cultures around the world, but the origins of Build a Scarecrow Day are a mystery. ‘Kojiki,’ a Japanese literature from the eighth century A.D., contains the earliest known mention of a scarecrow. In the book, the scarecrow Kuebiko is compared to a god because of his omniscience despite his immobility.

In 1390, youngsters were dispatched to fields with sacks on their backs and poles connected to startle birds away from crops, marking the first recorded use of a device specifically designed to scare birds away. It wasn’t until 1560 that the term “scarecrow” was used, but even then it referred to a person who stood in fields to scare away birds.

Farmers eventually resorted to constructing scarecrows that looked like people to deter birds from swooping down on their crops. This prevented the birds from consuming the seeds, allowing them to mature into useful crops.

Activities for Build a Scarecrow Day

Make a ghoulish effigy of yourself

Create the scarecrow’s body by tying the filling material of your choice around the frame. After donning the garments, ties should be made at the cuffs and hems. You can wear shoes and secure them with additional string or twine so they don’t fall off, although doing so is optional.

Put on a scarecrow outfit

It’s great fun to commemorate the holiday by donning the tattered garb of a scarecrow. You can also have a costume party and have everyone come dressed up.

Garden embellishment

If you have a garden that birds like to plunder, a scarecrow is a terrific addition to your yard. Garden ornaments if they don’t work out. Some go as far as to make them resemble the person creating them or someone they know.

5 SCARECROW FACTS

A scarecrow can never be replicated in its exact form.

Straw men, tatterdemalions, ragamuffins, and shaggy’s are all names for scarecrows.

Nagoro is the name of a small village in Japan where only 35 people live among more than 350 scarecrows.

The National Forest Adventure Farm in the United Kingdom displays 3,812 scarecrows, making it the site of the greatest scarecrow gathering in history.

Both Marvel and DC Comics feature a character named Scarecrow, yet they couldn’t be more different.

BUILD A SCARECROW DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2022	July 3	Sunday
2023	July 2	Sunday
2024	July 7	Sunday
2025	July 6	Sunday
2026	July 5	Sunday