GLOCESTER – “Weird tales,” writers H.P. Lovecraft and C.M. Eddy, Jr. in 1923 visited the town of Glocester in search of the mysterious Black Swamp and its alleged strange creature. But instead of finding the legendary wooded area, the duo met friendly residents of Glocester with stories to tell.
This past Saturday, Lovecraft’s presence might have been felt once again in Chepachet on Main Street where a display in the annual Glocester Scarecrow Festival featured one of the spooky story writer’s most famous characters, “Cthulhu,” an octopid creature from the bottom of the ocean.
For the festival, and for weeks to come, spooky “scarecrows” will greet visitors up and down Main Street. Most of the scarecrows were less intense than Lovecraft’s nightmarish imaginary character, although some might frighten more human beings than crows. The types of characters ranged in design from a traditional-looking Americana scarecrow to a zombie.
“I love it,” Delight Lynch from Wrentham, Mass., said of the festival.
“I drag her out from Massachusetts,” said Jayce Meglio-Duphily, from Burrillville. Both visitors and their youngsters Shyann, 8, and Mya, 8 seemed happy to be at the crowded event that featured food, music and small business vendors, and a dance performance by witches.
James Basler, who recently moved to Glocester from Massachusetts, purchased a bonsai plant.
“Nice to see the community come out and support local businesses. The art work, the spirit of it all, is awesome,” he said.
Basler’s companions at the festival agreed, including Scott Pattie who said of the gathering, “This is such a wonderful event; it’s like a hidden gem.”
“It is an excellent turnout,” said Marie Penta of the Glocester Recreation Committee, who was taking in the sights. “People have come from all different towns, and the traffic [in Chepachet Village] is flowing great, and the food trucks are excellent and have long lines – that’s a good sign,” she said.
Luke Gatteri and his wife Christine Gatteri and their children Lily, 11, and Olivia, 13, were pleased about the 70 degree sunny weather.
“Beautiful time to get out, this time of year when it’s nice. Beautiful colors,” the father said.
“We love coming out to the scarecrow festival. It’s always nice to see families come together,” said the mother of the Pascoag-based family.
Katherine Pieters of Arlington, Mass. said she was having a lot of fun, adding she was “extremely impressed with the variety of the artisans and their wares,” described as “tempting” and “gorgeous.”
Her sister, Liz Morris,of Glocester, agreed.
“Beautiful” she said of the day and event. “I’m happy. It’s great to see people out and the little kids in costumes.”
The event on Saturday, Oct. 19 was sponsored by Friendship Masonic Lodge #7, as well as Misfield Technologies, Reichert and Sons, Who Cut the Cheesecake, r.e.s – travel, llc, Romani Orthodontics, Yatco, Dino’s, and the Glocester Republican Town Committee, and a couple dozen more local contributors. The creative scarecrows will remain on display for the next several weeks.
David Procaccini of Cranston and his daughter were having a grand time at the scarecrow festival.
“It’s great. A nice event. Easy access and everybody is nice. And it is a pleasant day. We love coming up here to Brown and Hopkins. The family is at Acotes,” Procaccini said, referring to the nearby cemetery where he says his last name is common.
Daughter Hannasophia Nunes Proccacini, 12, said of the festival, “All this stuff is really nice, and it is a nice day to do this. It brings the community together.”
“Weird tales” writers H.P. Lovecraft and C.M. Eddy, Jr. visited Gloceter more than a hundred years ago and were inspired to write fictional stories about the area. They’re long gone, and perhaps fortunately for the scarecrow event-goers there was no live slithering “Cthulhu,” among the guests on Saturday.
As for any strange happenings – or creatures – in the Black Swamp, that depends on who you ask.
