Chester NH Halloween: Scarecrows and Chester Street Events

Since September, Chester has had a second population. Burlap-faced scarecrows stand along Route 102 and Route 121 and line the back roads. They are a fundraiser for the Chester Historical Society, and a map at The Village People of Chester lists where each one stands. The site calls them temporary residents, and the town has set their move-out date. The October newsletter names Saturday, October 31 as "Take Down Your Scarecrows Day."

Several other things end that same Saturday. The bronze Minute Man statuette by Daniel Chester French is in its last month at the Historical Society museum. Chester Street trick-or-treat runs that evening. Library Foundation food trucks open a couple of hours earlier, a short walk up the road. Treat the rest of October in Chester as a countdown to one date, and a good share of it happens on a single stretch of Chester Street.

Four Saturday mornings to see the Minute Man

The Union Leader reported in June that a bronze minuteman statuette by Daniel Chester French had been loaned to the Chester Historical Society. It went on display in the town's museum at Stevens Memorial Hall to mark the nation's 250th birthday. The story said it would stay through the fall. The October newsletter puts a firmer date on it: "October is the last month the statue is on loan!"

The museum is open every Saturday in October from 10 a.m. to noon. Today is Friday, October 9, so four of those mornings are left: October 10, 17, 24, and 31. That's eight open hours in total. The last one falls on the same morning the scarecrows are scheduled to come down.

The Chester connection is part of why the piece belongs here. Chesterwood, the historic site that preserves French's home and studio, says the sculptor was born in Exeter. He added "Chester" as his middle name in honor of the town where his grandfather lived. The Union Leader adds a Chester Street detail: French spent summers at his grandparents' home on that street. So a sculpture by a man named partly for Chester is on display for a few more Saturdays on the same street where he spent his summers.

One name behind the statuette and the scarecrows

The Union Leader's coverage of the loan features Chester Historical Society member Jackie Brown. She has written several books on local history, including one about French's life. The scarecrow map site credits the scarecrow fundraiser to "the vision of Jackie Brown." October's two main Historical Society attractions trace back to the same person, which helps explain why they share a deadline.

The scarecrows have been around long enough to have a back story. In 2015, Antiques and the Arts Weekly described the setup. The Society sold $20 kits with burlap faces and supports, and residents decorated the figures themselves. That year the paper counted about 600 scarecrows along Routes 102 and 121 and the back roads. None of the sources I found give a more recent count, so how this year compares is something you can only judge from the car window. The map of locations shows a photo for each pin, and the site closes with a fair request to "drive safe."

The rest of the calendar, by date

This is what's left between now and the end of the month, taken from the town's October newsletter and calendar. Most of it is within a few doors on Chester Street. The library is at 3 Chester Street, between Stevens Hall at number 1 and the Post Office at number 5. Town Hall is at 84 Chester Street, about a quarter mile west of the Route 102 and 121 intersection.

Two Saturdays have double bookings. On October 17, the hazardous waste event overlaps the museum hours, and the town warns to expect delays at the Transfer Station. The Transfer Station is about four miles east of the 102 and 121 intersection, off Route 102 toward Raymond. If you plan to do both, it's a short drive between them.

October 24 uses Stevens Memorial Hall twice. The museum is open there in the morning, and the haunted house runs in the same building that evening. The library describes the haunted house as geared toward adults, with intense horror, startling effects, and mature themes. It strongly advises parental discretion for anyone under 17 and says strobe lights may be used. No registration is needed, and admission is paid at the door in cash. Younger kids have their own event five days later. The library's costume party on October 29 includes a parade, music, and crafts, and you need to register through Eventbrite.

The voter registration session on October 28 has a deadline attached. The town clerk's note says registration closes after that date until Election Day. The State General Election is Tuesday, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 84 Chester Street, and you can also register at the polls.

How October 31 stacks up

The last day of the month brings everything together on one Saturday, in this order.

1. 10 a.m. to noon: the final open hours at the Historical Society museum, and your last chance to see the French statuette before the loan ends.
2. During the day: Take Down Your Scarecrows Day.
3. 4 to 8 p.m.: food trucks sponsored by the Chester Public Library Foundation. The town calendar puts them at Busche Academy, 40 Chester Street.
4. 6 to 8 p.m.: the annual Chester Street Trick or Treat.

This isn't the first year the evening has started with food trucks. A listing for the 2025 event put five trucks in the Busche Academy lot from 4 to 8 p.m. ahead of 6 p.m. trick-or-treating. The town hasn't said how many trucks to expect this year. It also hasn't published road-closure or parking details for the street, so check the town's new official Facebook page closer to the date.

The candy that fills Chester Street is partly donated. The newsletter says donations are "always appreciated" and lists October drop-off spots:

• The Center Scoop
• Chester Village Chiropractic
• G&P Restaurant
• Chester Town Hall
• Chester Public Library
• The porch of either 108 or 12 Chester Street

The newsletter also says the residents of Chester Street "can't wait to see all the wonderful and creative costumes this year."

After the 31st

November starts quieter. The scarecrows will be gone, and the statuette's loan ends with October. The library's hours, as listed in the October newsletter, are Monday and Wednesday 3 to 8 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday 1 to 5 p.m. The library posts updates at chesterlibrary.com and can be reached at 603-887-3404. The town clerk's note says the 2026 tax rate will be set soon by the Department of Revenue Administration. Bills are targeted for an early December due date, depending on when the rate is final. If you want more fall walking after the scarecrows come down, our post on what you can walk in Danville's Town Forest this fall covers trails one town over.

Traditions like the scarecrows on Route 102 and the candy on Chester Street porches are a big part of why Chester feels like home. If you have a Chester question, about your own street or about how the town has changed over the years, I'm always glad to talk it through. Sonia Bramhall keeps a running file on Chester and the towns around it. Let's Connect.