Alpharetta's Scarecrow Harvest puts more than 150 scarecrows downtown Oct. 4 to Nov. 1, 2026. Free, with a puzzle hunt; winners named at Boo Bash Oct. 17.

Last checked 2026-10-04. Facts come from the City of Alpharetta’s Scarecrow Harvest page and the city’s 2026 scarecrow rules, linked below. This page is updated for each year’s display at the same address.

The 21st Scarecrow Harvest fills downtown Alpharetta with more than 150 scarecrows from Sunday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Schools, nonprofits, families, neighborhoods and businesses build them, and the city calls this year’s count a record. It is free to walk around and look.

Know before you go

  • When: Oct. 4 to Nov. 1, 2026
  • Where: four patches downtown; 2026 Scarecrow Patch locations map
  • Cost: free
  • Winners: announced at Boo Bash, Saturday, Oct. 17, from 5:30 p.m.
  • Who to call: City of Alpharetta special events, 678-297-6102; scarecrow coordinator Claire Thurber

Where to see the scarecrows

Each approved scarecrow gets a number and a spot on a hay bale in one of four downtown patches: Haybale Green, Scarecrow Square, Patch Park and Pumpkin Plaza, according to the city’s 2026 rules and guidelines. The city’s patch locations map shows where each patch is. Every scarecrow carries a sign with its name and who made it.

The Scarecrow Puzzle Hunt

The puzzle hunt, sponsored by the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, sends you around downtown following clues. Its organizer, Solving Fun, says the 2026 hunt is free and runs Oct. 4 to Nov. 1, with five puzzles. Each puzzle leads to a different scarecrow, and there is a final answer at the end. You can solve one puzzle or all five.

The competition and Boo Bash

Every scarecrow is entered in the Scarecrow Community Competition. Judging is Wednesday, Oct. 14, weather permitting, in four categories:

  • Laugh Out Loud Crow
  • Spookiest Crow
  • Best in Show Crow
  • Recycle Crow

Winners are announced at Boo Bash, Saturday, Oct. 17, 3 to 7 p.m., at The Grove behind the Alpharetta Community Center, 175 Roswell St. Award announcements begin at 5:30 p.m. Admission and bounce houses are free, according to the city’s Boo Bash listing. The city opens the main lots at Wills Park, the Alpharetta Community Center and Amana Academy, 285 S. Main St., for Boo Bash parking. More Halloween plans are in our Halloween events guide.

Building a scarecrow

The 2026 application opened Friday, Aug. 21, on the city’s Eventeny application page, and anyone may apply with a family-friendly design. The city’s rules for this year:

  • Builders could ask for one bale of hay per scarecrow, picked up at Alpharetta Farm at Old Rucker Park, 860 Rucker Road. Public schools with five or more scarecrows could have hay delivered.
  • Setup began Sunday, Oct. 4. Scarecrows must be sturdy, weatherproof and staked to their bale.
  • Each scarecrow needs a laminated sign at least 8 1/2 by 11 inches with its name and its maker; a scarecrow with no name cannot be judged.
  • No social, political, religious or controversial themes. The city removes scarecrows that break the rules.
  • Take-down: scarecrows must be removed by Nov. 1. Anything left after that is removed and cannot be returned.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Alpharetta Scarecrow Harvest 2026? The scarecrows are on display downtown from Sunday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. It is the 21st year of the event.

Where are the scarecrows in Alpharetta? In four downtown patches the city calls Haybale Green, Scarecrow Square, Patch Park and Pumpkin Plaza. The city posts a map of the 2026 patch locations.

Is the Alpharetta Scarecrow Harvest free? Yes. The city lists the event as free, and the Scarecrow Harvest Puzzle Hunt is free too.

When are the Scarecrow Harvest winners announced? At Boo Bash on Saturday, Oct. 17. Award announcements begin at 5:30 p.m. at The Grove behind the Alpharetta Community Center, 175 Roswell St.

How do I enter a scarecrow in the Alpharetta Scarecrow Harvest? Through the city’s online application, which opened Aug. 21 for 2026. Any family-friendly design is welcome, and every scarecrow is entered in the competition.

What this means for you

  • It costs nothing: walk downtown any time before Nov. 1 with the map or the puzzle hunt.
  • Building one next year? Watch the city’s Scarecrow Harvest page in August, when the application opens.
  • The display overlaps Wire & Wood (Oct. 9-10) and Alpharetta Restaurant Week (Oct. 10-17). Expect road closures downtown on festival weekend; see our Wire & Wood road closures and parking guide.

Related: fall festivals and pumpkin patches, trick-or-treat hours and free things to do in Alpharetta.