A pumpkinheaded superhero.

A spooky sheep.

A gourd-geous pirate.

The third annual scarecrow contest at Quilcene’s Worthington Park returned recently, with a fresh and awesome array of fantastic and frightening figures staking out their respective spots on the lawn of the park’s historic mansion.

Contestants assembled their entry by appointment throughout the weekend to promote social distancing, and voting takes place online (www.worthingtonparkquilcene.org) through Friday, Oct. 30.

The winner will be announced on Halloween.

This year, Quilcene Historical Museum spokeswoman Talia Munn explained, the contest was arranged in cooperation with the Quilcene School District.

“This is the first time we got the school involved because traditionally, the museum and the school would have had a combined harvest festival that the people enter their scarecrows in,” she said.

“Because we weren’t having the harvest festival part of it, we really wanted the kids to get connected to community and have that little bit of fun that they’re not getting otherwise.”

Entries were done by individual grades and classes, or by smaller groups or families engaged in distance learning, and arranged so that spectators can easily drive by and remain distanced and safe while checking out the scarecrows.

“Worthington Park was really excited to be able to put this event on,” Munn said. “I think it has really boosted community morale.

“One of our teachers, a second-grade teacher, really said how it was a good team-building experience for [the students],” she added. “They really collaborated and supported each other’s ideas.”

Claire Reinertsen, 8, a third-grader who this year is participating in the the district’s home-based learning program PEARL (Partnership for Excellence in Alternative Remote Learning) and her mother Lauren were at the park Saturday assembling a two-figure scene: a prince being chased by a fearsome dragon.

The key to a good scarecrow, Claire said, is rather obvious.

“It has to be scary,” she said. “It has to scare the crows away.”

Lauren said an event like the contest was more important than usual this year given how many other activities and traditions had been canceled.

“It provides a sense of community that in such a small town is really important to a lot of people,” she said. “To see stuff like this happening, even if it’s from a distance and with masks, it’s kind of heartwarming.”

Seventeen reservations had been made before the start of the weekend, Munn said, and about 20 figures are expected to be built.

Visit www.worthingtonparkquilcene.org to see this year’s entries and cast your vote.