Machias area businesses are donating several hundred dollars worth of prizes for winners of the first annual “Scarecrows of Machias” Flash Fiction Contest organized by the Machias Arts Council.

The contest, open to residents of any age in Washington County, calls for short stories of around 500 words or less about scarecrows. The contest runs parallel to the Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Scarecrow Contest, which awards prizes for actual scarecrows created by local residents and businesses.