If you've driven along Highway 401 through Chatham-Kent in the fall and winter months, you have likely seen a murder of crows – an annual occurrence some have even referred to as an "infestation."
Hundreds of thousands of crows descend upon Chatham and the surrounding areas every autumn thanks to the region's abundance of agriculture and ideal conditions for the bird species.
"We've tried for years and years to curb them and get them out of here, but we can't. They're programmed to be here," said Chatham-Kent Mayor, Darrin Canniff.
Rather than fight back against the sometimes-pesky bird, the municipality is embracing them with a festival in their name: Chatham-Kent Crowfest.
"Crows are some of the smartest creatures on earth, and so if you can't beat them, join them," said Canniff. "We thought, let's celebrate them. Let's wrap ourselves around them and have some fun with it."
This is the third annual adaptation of Crowfest, which runs from Sept. 18 to 21, featuring four days of events sprinkled throughout Chatham-Kent, with the main showpiece running Friday and Saturday in downtown Chatham.
King Street in downtown Chatham will close Friday morning at 11 a.m. as artists, musicians and vendors flood the streets, highlighted by live busker performances.
"It's something different. It's weird and it's quirky," said Andrew Thiel, the Crowfest co-chair. "You don't see buskers at other festivals and that type of stuff, and not the level of buskers that we have. You tie it all together with a great organizing committee and a great bunch of sponsors, and it makes for just a spectacular event."
On Saturday, there's a costume contest from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., offering a pool of $5,000 cash prizes to the best crow-themed attire.
Another big attraction is the Catwall Acrobats from Quebec, featuring performers who jump from trampoline to wall and back again in a show that is sure to leave you both dizzy and in awe.
"These guys are fabulous," said Thiel. "They've performed all over the world and are one of the leading acrobatic acts in Canada."
Event organizers are hoping for strong attendance from people in Chatham-Kent and beyond.
"It's been growing and growing, and I'd love to see it grow to be a national event where people from all over the country want to come here," said Canniff. "It's a great opportunity to get out and do something, take the family, grab your friends, come on out and appreciate everything that's going on down here."
St. Clair College and its Alumni Association have been title event sponsors since the first festival.
"We are a community College, and we strongly believe in supporting events that will benefit the communities where we belong," said Michael Silvaggi, President of St. Clair College. "Crowfest is a true, one-of-a-kind event which has been embraced by business, vendors, community and visitors to the region and is gaining momentum each year."
"St. Clair College was our very first sponsor and has been with us for the last three years," said Thiel. "Because of the generosity of the sponsors, we don't have to charge anything for anybody, so everybody can come out to all the activities on Friday and Saturday. They're all free."
For more information on Crowfest, including the full schedule of events, click here.
