“It’s been surprising over the last five years how imaginative people can be, turning 500 pounds of scrap into functional art,” said David Such, board member on the Old Town Commercial Association, or OTCA. “The ingenuity level keeps going up.”

Teams collected 500 pounds of scrap metal on June 1 and worked for two weeks, before being judged this Saturday, with the top three teams winning awards.

Team Hamerd won first place, People’s Choice and $1,000 with “The Old Iron Tree,” with the second and third place teams winning $500 and $350.

In an effort to generate more money and excitement, this year was the first with a live auction, Such said, raising more than $11,000. Teams received 40 percent of auction proceeds and the OTCA received the remainder. The OTCA plans on building a Robert Busby Memorial in Old Town’s Burchard Park with the money raised.

Busby helped revitalization efforts in Old Town and was regarded as Old Town’s unofficial mayor, Friedland Industries Manager Michael Bass said.

Friedland Industries donated the scrap metal to each team, and Bass said Scrapfest represents a change in perception for both Old Town and recycling efforts.

“It’s great seeing people hanging out in Old Town for a positive reason,” Bass said. “It’s really cool to see what else (scrap) can be turned into, especially art.”

Such said energy, positivity and art surround the Scrapfest atmosphere.

“It’s all about community,” Such said. “People from all walks of life are here to look at art. This is art by the people, for the people.”

Lansing resident Andrew Sandstedt competes in the event annually, and created a scrap rocket ship this year.

“I’m not a sculptor by trade, but I enjoy public art,” Sandstedt said. “I love doing it. It’s a creative outlet that I look forward to.”

Sandstedt worked with his four sons on the project, who, along with a friend’s airstream trailer, acted as inspiration for the sculpture.

“I wanted it to feel like the boys could go into the garage and make their own rocket ship,” he said.