Downtown Rome merchants are celebrating the harvest season with special scarecrows in front of their stores, and citizens can cast votes for the favorites inside the individual stores.

The winner, to be determined Nov. 5, will receive $200, which will in turn be donated to a charity of their choice.

Downtown Development Director Ann Arnold said that she got the idea at the state downtown conference two years ago and said that a lot of Main Street cities do similar contests in the fall.

Arnold said that having a nonprofit to benefit from the contest would be an added means of getting their supporters into the stores.

“They would encourage people to come in and vote for their scarecrow, so for little or no investment the business gets the foot traffic,” Arnold said.

Geri Cheeley, owner of The Clotheshorse, 419 Broad St., said she decorated a female scarecrow in pink to help draw attention to Breast Cancer Awareness month. The scarecrow also has a dog on a leash since her charity is the Animal Rescue Foundation.

Joyce Manning at Greene’s Jewelers, 328 Broad St., said the contest has already generated interest at her store, where a blushing bride scarecrow, decked out in a wedding gown with diamond ring, diamond bracelet and pearl necklace from the store.

“She’s standing out there waiting for someone to come along. She’s ready to go to the altar,” Manning said.

Manning said that if her store wins the $200 will go to the Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth.

“They do such good work in the community for youth,” Manning said, adding that she said she hopes the event starts a new tradition for downtown Rome.

“It’s a cute, fun, fall idea. It’s good for tourism, for the nonprofit and everybody benefits,” Arnold said. “Everybody that’s called us has been real excited about it.”