The 6th Annual Scarecrow Contest to Benefit National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will kick off this fall.

Up to 100 scarecrows will line Parker St. at Cucurbit Farm in an effort to help erase the stigma surrounding mental health issues and raise funds in support of NAMI Central Middlesex.

Participants can pick up their scarecrow frame at the farm throughout the month of September with a $25 donation to NAMI Central MIddlesex. We ask that your scarecrow is not bloody, gory or scary. Scarecrows will be put up on Friday afternoon, October 1st from 3pm til sunset. You can drop off your scarecrow before this date or bring it out on 10/1 and put yours yourself. The scarecrows will be displayed the entire month of October. Viewers of the contest are asked to vote for the best scarecrow and make a donation to NAMI.