The Flamstead Scarecrow Festival in Hertfordshire is one of our favourite events of the year. It’s on 11th – 13th August 2017 and is such good fun for families – it’s well worth making the trip. Watch our video of some of the highlights from last year and then scroll down for more information.

What is the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival?

Flamstead is a lovely village in Hertfordshire. Once a year more than 90 residents create the most fabulous scarecrows and display them in their front gardens. It’s a competition to see who can make the best one. You walk around the village and then vote for which ever ones you think are the best. The event has been running since 2002 as a means of raising money for the upkeep of the village church and the Herts Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre. It gets bigger every year. Around 5000 people went last year.

What is at the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival?

Lots of really cool scarecrows… and when I say cool… some of them will be epic. The pictures featured in this article are from last year so you can get an idea of what it’s like. Last year there were characters from films, sporting heros, tv stars, and people in the news. There was also an entire farmyard type scene and some off the wall scarecrows like the characters from Keeping Up Appearances. The scarecrow festival is a real event so there will be stalls and refreshments on offer. On the Saturday and Sunday the village nursery puts on loads of activities for the kids. All of the details and times are on the Appletree Childcare website but this year’s activities include a bouncy castle, games, huge tombola, small petting farm, face painting and characters Ben and Holly and Chase and Marshall from Paw Patrol.

Essential details about the Flamstead Scarecrow Festival including times, location and parking.

Flamstead is a small village in Hertfordshire – it’s not far from junction 9 of the M1 and in good traffic from Milton Keynes takes about 35 – 40 minutes depending where you live. Put the postcode AL3 8DE into your sat nav. DO NOT park on a road in the village itself but do park in the FREE car park which is signposted. The event is on Friday 12.00pm – 5.00pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday 10.30am – 5pm. If you are able-bodied do not attempt to drive around the village to see the scarecrows – you won’t see them very well and the village won’t support lots of cars – just park in the car park. There is a tour bus for the disabled / elderly and also a care bus to take people from the car park to the village.

 

How much does it cost and what can we eat?

The scarecrow festival is FREE and it’s free to park. But please please please do buy a voting form for £3 whilst you’re there. Last year you could purchase them from stands just after you parked. Loads of people spend hours making their scarecrows for your enjoyment and all the money raised goes to charity. You’ll probably want to take some cash for refreshments whilst you’re there. Two of the pubs do food as does the nursery, and there’s tea and cake on sale too BUT it does get really busy so I would advise you take a picnic and snacks as you may be there some time.

How do we find all of the scarecrows and do you have any tips?

Scarecrows are finished really last minute so it’s difficult for organisers to produce a paper map – you can find them all though on this map on your phone. For all the information about the scarecrow festival have a look on the Flamstead website. If you look towards the bottom of the map you’ll see an area called Trowley Bottom – that’s where some of the biggest scarecrow displays are so make sure you go. It’s down a big hill but there is a pub with beer garden at the bottom so you can have a rest. The entire walk with stops can take about 3 hours so do take a buggy if you have young toddlers. If you prefer things quieter then go on the Friday, but if you can then do wait and go on the Saturday or Sunday – there’s such a good atmosphere then as well as all the kids activities at the nursery. Take a picnic, take some water, wear trainers or wellies if it’s wet. There’s very little indoors so take brollies and buggy covers if it’s raining.

What other cheap days out do you suggest?

Here are ten of the best sandpits and beaches that are free (parking charges may apply). These are ten of the best parks in Milton Keynes and one of my most popular ever blog posts is ten really cheap days out. Have lots of fun and don’t forget to email me your pictures of places you visit or any suggestions of places you think we feature – laura@miltonkeyneskids.com.

I'm Laura, mum of two boys - aged six and four. I started this website at the end of Sept 2015 whilst on maternity leave. I now work four days a week and do this blog late at night once the little boys are sleeping. It's won several awards over the last four years and I continue to run it for free and mostly focus on free, cheap, and good value days out. Do drop me an email laura@miltonkeyneskids.com if you want to contact me. Don't forget to follow all of our latest adventures on facebook, instagram and twitter and have a look at all of the videos of the places we visit on the Milton Keynes Kids YouTube Channel - subscribe to it for notifications every time I add a new place. And remember... you may been reading this post months after we visited, do check with the destination you're visiting for up to date opening times and prices. If you find this blog useful then please do comment on my posts and leave me a Facebook review - it makes doing this all the more worthwhile.

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