2017 Bear Festival Downtown Plymouth

No matter what age or interests a person has, almost everyone loves bears! It is a little known fact that the biggest black bears on the planet and the highest black bear densities in the world are not found in Canada or Alaska, but in coastal North Carolina! Mild winters, abundant crops and extensive forests and swamps are the reason that 700 lb. black bears are not uncommon. To celebrate our bears and educate our guests about this important North Carolina native, the historic Inner Banks town of Plymouth is hosting the 3nd annual North Carolina Black Bear Festival on June 2-4, 2017. Everyone who attends is guaranteed to see bears and learn about these magnificent animals through a variety of events, including black bear tours on public and private property, as well as the opportunity to see captive bears.

The NC Black Bear Festival has over 30 activities that includes black bear tours in the wild as well as captive bears for everyone to see. There will be live wolves, birds and snakes to see as well. There is a 5K “Run with the Bears”, “Bear Necessities” Paddle event, Black Bear Photography Workshop, presentations by the NC Black Bear Biologist, a mechanical black bear ride (like a mechanical bull), Lazy River Tubing, Knockerball, water ski show, free boat rides on the Roanoke River, helicopter rides, a children’s bear train ride, Bear Fest Pageant, Baby Bear Contest, Dan the Animal Man, live music and Reflections of the Roanoke Fireworks Show. Food and craft venders, as well as many conservation organizations will be attending Bear Fest.

In 2015 the NC Black Bear Festival won the “Rising Star” award for the best new festival in NC. Last year the NC Black Bear Festival was recognized as “Event of the Year” for the State of North Carolina!!! More than 14,000 people from 12 states and several foreign countries were on hand for the event. As a result, the town is now becoming known as Bear Town, NC.

Another result of the success of Bear Fest was the opening of a new black bear museum in Plymouth, called Bear-Ology. The goal of the museum is to create a permanent year-round black bear education and discovery center. It includes a 30 seat theatre with state-of-the-art Blue Ray Surround Sound and features a 17 minute film written and produced by Tom Harrison. Blake and Emily Scott from Star Track Studios in Washington, (who created the Refuge Series for UNC TV) provided all the filming and editing.

Don’t miss this award winning festival happening on June 2-4 in Plymouth – “where traffic ends and adventure begins!”

Contact:

Tom Harrison

Email: info@ncbearfest.com

PO Box 706

Plymouth, NC 27962

Phone: 252-793-6627