RAPID CITY - Members of the Rapid City Christmas Lights Committee are organizing an Octoberfest celebration with a twist - scarecrows.

The Octoberfest With Scarecrows event is set for Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. It will include prizes, entertainment, games, a live auction and German food. Proceeds go to the Christmas Lights Committee, the group that has been working to better illuminate downtown and other areas of Rapid City during the holidays.

"Building on the success of last year's Christmas Lights program, we are excited to host Octoberfest With Scarecrows to raise funds to enhance and expand Christmas lighting in Rapid City," said Barb Ulmer, who is chairwoman of the event. "As we have become known as the City of Presidents, we likewise would like to be known as a city of Christmas lights for residents and visitors alike. Over the coming years, the committee plans to expand Christmas lighting from the downtown district along all of Rapid City's travel and business corridors."

In addition, the event includes a scarecrow contest. Families and groups can make and decorate their own scarecrows, and compete in the traditional harvest scarecrow and humorous scarecrow categories.

The scarecrows will be on display for judging during the Octoberfest, and they will be auctioned off to raise money for the Christmas lights. The scarecrows will be displayed outside, so they need to be durable.

Organizers will provide support armatures on which to build your scarecrow. Call Deb Hadcock at 718-7300 or Danielle Langston at 348-1911, if you need one.

The entry fee for scarecrows is $20.

In addition, there will be a pumpkin-carving contest in five age categories. There is no entry fee for the pumpkin carving.

You can pick up entry forms, which contain details about the event, at the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce in the civic center, at United Blood Services at 2209 W. Omaha St. and at the Hampton Inn at 1720 Rapp St. or online at www.visitrapidcity.com.

Forms must be turned in by Oct. 17.

Other organizers are the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Germans From Russia Club, the Shrine of Democracy, the Rapid City Downtown Association and the Rapid City Hospitality Association.