Arts and Culture 2011

Amy Holtcamp

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  • Headless Horseman scares with a literary flair
    Headless Horseman scares with a literary flair
    “The Headless Horseman,” created by the Friends of the Richland County Public Library, took the top prize in the Business/Organization category at this year’s Scarecrows in the Garden contest at the Robert Mills House.
  • Harry Strawter
    Harry Strawter
    The “Harry Strawter” scarecrow by Rosewood Florists shows everyone’s favorite young wizard aloft his Nimbus 2000 broomstick during a rousing game of Quidditch.
  • An delicate and elegant take on the scarecrow
    An delicate and elegant take on the scarecrow
    This entry, “Su Ling Towers” by Christopher Towers, shows a beautiful Geisha in an enchanting garden setting. Make sure to get close and then look down; a mirror “reflecting pool” shows the figure’s face.
  • From scary to silly, Scarecrows in the Garden delights
    From scary to silly, Scarecrows in the Garden delights
    Although some of the entries in this year’s contest are frightening, entries like this one are simply adorable. The Brown Shern Family offers perhaps the most diminutive scarecrow with their “Be Nice to Bees and They will Make You Honey.”
 

Historic Columbia Foundation provides thrills, frights and delights in October

Posted 10/14/2011 7:56:00 AM

Once again, the Historic Columbia Foundation is adding its own special brew to the usual Halloween celebrations. It’s a special concoction made with a little bit of history, a touch of whimsy, a dash of spooky moonlight and a lot of local creativity.

This is the second year in a row that I’ve had the pleasure of wandering through the wonderful gardens on the grounds of Columbia's Robert Mills House and taking in the Scarecrows in the Garden show. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite autumn pastimes, and what’s even better is that it’s completely free and open to the public.

Dozens of local artists, organizations and businesses have entered their handcrafted scarecrows into the contest once again this year. The unique straw men and women range from the gamut from cute to downright spooky. One slick scarecrow is even fashioned to resemble one of the cast members from MTV’s The Jersey Shore – talk about scary!

This year’s contest winners were inspired by a literary theme, which is appropriate considering the winning scarecrow was created by the Friends of the Richland County Public Library. The Headless Horseman is truly eerie, especially since it’s accompanied by its very own graveyard.

Another entry I particularly enjoyed was a beautiful Geisha looking into a mirror reflecting pool, an absolutely stunning and delicate take on the scarecrow. As a Harry Potter fan, I instantly recognized (and loved) “Harry Strawter” atop his Nimbus 2000 broomstick during a Quidditch match.

In addition to Scarecrows in the Garden, the Historic Columbia Foundation is holding a number of other Halloween-themed programs this month. All month long the Robert Mills House will be decorated in traditional, Victorian-era mourning so that visitors can see what 19th century Americans did to honor the deceased in their homes.

The Robert Mills House is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The last tour of the day begins one hour before closing. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, AAA members, military and college students, $3 for kids ages 6-17 and free for children 5 and younger.

Scarecrows in the Garden is open to the public whenever the Robert Mills House is open and admission is free.

For more information about any of the Halloween happenings at the Historic Columbia Foundation visit their website.