Event Details

For years, the Doddington Scarecrows competition has produced some amazing and creative entries.

Each one built to represent a person related back to our Carnival Theme, and this year being no different!

All you need to do, is build a scarecrow and display it for the village to see.

The entries are judged and the winner is announced on Carnival Day.

We're thrilled to announce the theme for the 2026 Doddington Village Sports & Carnival is:

'Celebrations'

How to Get Started

If you want advice on where/how to get started, check out our HOW TO SCARECROW Guide!

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Two Competition Categories

For the first time in the history of the Doddington Scarecrow Competition, we're introducing two separate categories:

Why the change?

We've listened. Over the years, some families have felt it was hard to compete against larger groups with more people, more resources, and more pairs of hands. That was never the spirit of the competition, and we didn't want anyone to feel discouraged from taking part.

By splitting into two categories, every entry has a fairer chance — whether it's the Smith family building a scarecrow in the front garden, or the Scouts rallying their troop for a group effort. Both deserve their moment in the spotlight.

What does this mean?

• Separate judging — our judges will award prizes in each category.
• Separate People's Choice votes — you'll get to vote for your favourite in both categories.
• More winners, more fun!

Have Your Say — People's Choice Vote!

For the first time, you get a say too! Once the scarecrows are on display, you'll be able to log in and vote for your favourite in each category. That's two votes — one for your favourite Household scarecrow and one for your favourite Community Group scarecrow.

Voting opens when the scarecrows go on display, and closes at midnight before Carnival Day. The People's Choice winners will be revealed alongside the judges' results on the big day!