GOWANDA — In addition to the first-, second- and third-place medals that will awarded in the Gowanda Scarecrow Contest, the Gowanda Area Chamber of Commerce will be giving gift certificates to the top three vote getters. While the exact dollar amount of the certificates has not yet been finalized, they will redeemable at a Gowanda business of the recipient’s choice. Registrations for the contest are currently being accepted. The full contest guidelines are as follows:

¯ Registration for the scarecrow contest will be ongoing throughout Monday, Sept. 21 at 5 p.m.

¯ Registrations may be submitted by online form at: http://Gowanda-NY.com/fallfest/2020 or on paper forms which will be available in Gowanda at the Gowanda Free Library & Gabel Brothers. You may also print your own registration form using the .pdf version of the form found on Gowanda Online (Gowanda-NY.com) as above. Paper registrations can be turned in at the same locations in Gowanda as mentioned above during regular business hours for each location.

¯ Scarecrow display tags and locations will be available Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 23. The Gowanda Free Library will be handling the distribution of the scarecrow tags.

¯ Participants are encouraged to have their scarecrow in place by Wednesday night, Sept. 23. The official start time for scarecrow viewing and voting will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24.

¯ No tape or other adhesives may be used in attaching scarecrows to light poles in town. Tie them to poles with string, rope or wire.

¯ As of the beginning of the contest on Thursday evening, Sept. 24, paper ballots will be available in Gowanda at the locations mentioned above — during regular business hours for each location — or from Bill Peglowski, who will be downtown in Gowanda most of the afternoon on Saturday, Sept. 26. Online voting will be available in the “You Know You’re From Gowanda” group on Facebook.

¯ Paper ballots may be cast at Gabel Brothers and the Gowanda Free Library during regular business hours until 11 a.m. on Monday Sept. 28.

¯ People’s Choice scarecrow online voting ends on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. Results will be made available to local media, posted to the Activities board in Gowanda and online at the site mentioned above and at: http://facebook.com/GowandaEvents

¯ Please be sure to remove your scarecrow from display within 14 days of the end of the contest.

¯ Scarecrow displays are the responsibility of their creators. Respect for store owner rights and village property is expected.