Fall festivals can be a lot of fun for two. They are a great excuse to get out of the house and enjoy the cool air and the fall colours. The Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay was something new to us. As we mentioned in our last post, we’ve gone to see the pumpkin people for the past three years, but we weren’t sure how these scarecrows would compare. So we jumped in the car on a sunny Saturday and drove to Mahone Bay to take a look.

HE SAID:

I tend to be the kind of person who enjoys traditions. I didn’t grow up in a family that had very many traditions, but for some reason I really enjoy them. I love the fact that every October we go get our pumpkins and our pumpkin fudge from the same spot and then go drive around and look at the pumpkin people. It’s just what we do. So when Susan suggested the Scarecrow Festival, I have to admit I was worried that:

a) it would mess up our pumpkin traditions (not good people, not good) or

b) it wouldn’t measure up to greatness that is the pumpkin people

Well, I’m pleased to report that I was wrong on both counts.

The Scarecrow Festival has a totally different feel than the Kentville Harvest Festival, largely because of how the towns are laid out. Going to see the pumpkin people involves driving along and enjoying the scenery while getting out to look around every now and then, while the Scarecrow Festival involves more walking, exploring, and bumping into people you know on Twitter.

I wasn’t expecting the scarecrows to be done up in such detail. Most of the celebrity scarecrows were easily recognizable, and even the more random ones were done very nicely. I think my favorite was the vampire one, at least I think it was a vampire. It just seemed so odd to see all these nice happy looking scarecrows and then over near the water is a vampire chasing down some innocent bystander scarecrows.

The other great thing about the festival was all the nice little shops along the way. Every shop is different from the next and they all have something worth looking at. One shop even had cookies and coffee available for it’s shoppers which I thought was really great. Some of the other activities going on were an antique fair, an old fashioned pie baking contest, and at night there is a “magical pumpkin path” which features a display of carved pumpkins that are lit up.

I had a really great time at the Scarecrow Festival and will definitely go back next year. If you are looking for something fun to do for two, do a little research to see if there are any fall festivals going on in your area. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy the fall weather together.

SHE SAID:

When I first heard about the Great Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay, I knew we had to go check it out. I was a little worried it might be kind of lame, but it proved to be quite enjoyable.

When I think of scarecrows I think of the ones my Grandmother used to craft out of a broomstick, an old flannel shirt and aluminum pie plates. The scarecrows of Mahone Bay are of another class altogether. For one, they actually have faces and some of them are even famous. Some stand alone, while others are grouped with fellow politicians or musicians.

Of the thirty or so we saw, my favourite was the Michael Jackson scarecrow outside of Sea Witch Cottage. The designer captured him perfectly in scarecrow form, complete with black shoes, white socks and mangled nose. Thriller was even playing in the background. Oh, sweet, straw-stuffed Michael.

If you’re thinking of going next year, I would consider going early. We got there around 10 am and it was a nice leisurely walk, but by the time we were ready to leave 2 hours later, the sidewalks were packed and traffic was crawling. We didn’t get to check out everything that was going on during the Scarecrow Festival, but I’ll be sure to check out the Magical Pumpkin Path for pumpkin carving inspiration.

Day trips are a fun thing to do when you can’t go anywhere too far away, but you want to feel like a tourist nonetheless. You get to escape your own town and return home to your own bed at the end of the day. What could be better? On this particular day we went to Mahone Bay, which is about an hour from Halifax.

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SHE SAID

I love visiting little towns. I love the people, I love the atmosphere, and most of all the unique shops! Mahone Bay is one such town that I keep coming back to for its charming, old fashioned feel. Its cute little shops are filled with everything from antiques to candy. On this particular day we didn’t get to all of the shops, but we did happen upon some great finds.

Find #1 – The Eclectic Garage

Don’t judge this one by its appearance. Though it may look like a run down, converted garage, guess what? It is! If you like antiques and unique gift ideas, you’ll love this place. It is jammed packed full of antique bottles, vinyl records, books, dishes, furniture, and it doesn’t stop there. You’ll also find modern gift items dispersed throughout. Though I didn’t buy any antiques this trip, I did find an antique-ish sign I hung in my kitchen. Check out our Flickr album for more finds.

Find #2 – Jo-Ann’s Deli Market & Bake Shop

Though there are quite a few nice places to dine in Mahone Bay, Jo-Ann’s offers quite a unique experience. Not only can you get fresh, made to order sandwiches and seafood lunches, there is a vast array of fresh baked goods to indulge in afterward that are made daily. If you’re looking for something cooler, you can visit the “I.C.U.”, aka Ice Cream Unit, and choose from one of their 16 flavors (and they have waffle cones!). If that’s not enough, you can buy local produce, a large section being organic, and they also have the largest selection of imported cheeses on the South Shore!

Find #3 – Candy Cravings
My sweet tooth was well fed after this stop. This shop is packed full of old-fashioned and modern candy alike. I was a wide-eyed little kid again gazing at the walls full of sugary delights. Once I got a grip, I ended up buying a “tickle stick” (not sure of the name’s origins), which is a wooden skewer full of gummy candies. We also stopped by their fudge station and picked up some chocolate peanut butter fudge. Yum!

I can’t wait to visit this town again. Maybe I can convince Brad to go to the Great Scarecrow Festival and Antique Fair in October!

HE SAID:

Over the past few years I’ve really grown to like the idea of taking day trips. Not only is it a cheap way to enjoy the nice summer and fall weather, but I’ve also gotten to see some smaller towns around Nova Scotia that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

Let’s be honest. I’m a city boy who married a country girl. So as much as I do enjoy a day trip to a small town, you won’t see me singing in the streets in pure joy like Susan. She really lights up when she’s in a town where people consider driving the speed limit to be too fast, where everyone knows everyone, and there are more trees than people.

Having said that, I can appreciate what a great place we live in. The drive to Mahone Bay is full of beautiful scenery. We even came across a parade along the way and stopped to take a look.

On the day we went to Mahone Bay the temperature was pretty high. So, naturally, certain unnamed members of our group decided it would be a good idea to walk to some of the antique shops we planned to visit. While the exercise was nice, I’m pretty sure I almost died of heat stroke. I kept reminding her that the further we walked, the further the walk back to the car would be.

Thankfully the walk was worth it as we came across some really great shops. One of my favorite spots in Mahone Bay is Candy Cravings. I don’t like it for the same reasons as Susan though. She likes the candy, but I like all the little toys and trinkets you can get. It’s sort of like a more tame version of Freak Lunchbox. There’s superhero lunch boxes, funny action figures, and lots more. I was also really excited to find what was labelled “drawer knobs” at an antique shop that used the same stick figures as we have in our logo. They don’t really serve any purpose, but I couldn’t pass them up.

Day trips are a great way to get out of the house without draining the bank account. It’s also an opportunity to check out the areas around where you live. If you enjoy fun drives and exploring new towns then you should give it a try.

Let us know some of your favorite day trip spots in the comments!