Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival: Meaford Fall Chalet Stays

The organizer’s site gives the full 2026 window and the single parade night. Families who missed October 2 can still see the downtown displays until October 18, which coincides with peak colour in the hills, while the business display contest ran September 3 to 25.

Workshops for building scarecrows take place earlier, in June and August, and are free according to the organizer.

The apple pie contest judged on parade day at Christ Church Anglican is one of the few indoor elements, useful if the evening turns wet.

Displays line the downtown streets, so a slow walk with a stroller works better than a drive-by. Park near the harbour and loop up Sykes Street; Meaford Harbour and its pavilion are the festival’s evening hub when the parade runs.

Pair the walk with an apple stop on Highway 26, since the Apple Harvest Craft Show weekend falls in the same stretch of October.

Meaford’s downtown is compact enough that the displays, the harbour pavilion and the parade route on Sykes Street can all be covered on foot in about an hour at a child’s pace.

Meaford is about half an hour from the Brooker chalets, which keeps the outing short enough for young children. Compare the family chalet collection for bunk rooms and main-level bedrooms, and plan the parade evening with a packed dinner or an early meal at the chalet.

The shared Brooker pool has closed for the season by October, but each chalet’s hot tub runs year-round.

Two-night stays suit this event: the parade falls on a Friday evening, so an afternoon arrival, the parade, and a Saturday in the Beaver Valley make a natural weekend.