The annual scarecrow competition has spread some joy through the suburbs during lockdown and given Canberrans a welcome distraction - now the winning entry has been revealed.
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Grace Zhu, of Curtin, and her mum Anna Li, created the most popular scarecrow in the competition organised by the Weston Creek Community Council's Chapman Floriade Community Patch.
When the patch couldn't host this year's Father's Day Floriade Scarecrow Workshop due to lockdown, the competition went city-wide, with entries popping up in front yards across Canberra.
The scarecrows went to a popular vote and six-year-old Grace's entry came out top; her Singing in the Rain scarecrow inspired by the recent rainy weather.
"Grace was so excited," Anna said.
Mum Anna said the scarecrow was a project set by Grace's teacher for her Gilmore house at the Canberra Girls Grammar School. She included a bright yellow raincoat to reflect the Gilmore colours.
Anna said the scarecrow competition had been "something positive" in lockdown and the name Singing in the Rain was a nod to finding a silver lining during a tough time.
"It's very good for the kids to actually make something and understand the intention behind the activity during this very challenging time, the encouragement," Anna said.
Second-placed was the Covid Blues scarecrow, from another Canberra Girls Grammar School student, Charis Bateman, and the wider Ballment-Bateman family in Watson.
Charis, who is in grade four, also took up her house teacher's challenge to get involved in the competition and came up with COVID Blues, for her blue house, Bates.
"I felt very excited and it was very unexpected," Charis said, of coming runner-up.
"I thought we did a great scarecrow but didn't know it was good enough to win."
The COVID Blues scarecrow was "making the most of his exercise time by going for a spring bike ride, but he still has the Covid BLUES!".
"It was a very fun activity," Charis said.
The third-placed scarecrow was Florence Floriade, made by Maggie, 11, and Louis, seven, Kane of Wanniassa.
Florence scored some broken, recycled Birkenstocks to be ready for the warmer weather and had her flowers updated every day with blooms from the garden.
More than 600 votes were cast in the competition which was coordinated by Labor MLA Marisa Paterson who said it had been a "fun, creative way to build community spirit and to celebrate Father's Day a bit differently this year".
