Fourth Annual Appalachian Bear Fest

Fourth Annual Appalachian Bear Fest is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, 2019 from 11 a.m. til 3 p.m. at the ABR Visitor and Education Center, 121 Painted Trillium Way in Townsend, TN. This family friendly event benefits the Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) in Townsend.

Come join the fun at the fourth annual Appalachian Bear Fest. This year will be celebrating International Black Bear Day with live music, Fisher Farm Petting Zoo, Lynne McCoy’s Live Critters, delicious food, plenty of kid’s games and a whole lot of Black Bear Education. Black Bear experts will be on hand to share their knowledge on  Black Bears and the National Park.

The Zoo Knoxville will bring some of their Reptiles to teach a Happening Herpetology Class as part of the event (pre-registration required). Who does not love the chance to handle some “creepy-crawly critters?” This is a chance for you and your kids to be hands on while learning all about what makes these creature so interesting and invaluable to the natural world.

For more information and to pre-register for the class, please visit www.appalachianbearrescue.org

Line Up:

11:00am – 11:30am: Mike Clemmer on the Dulcimer
11:35am – 12:25pm: Jared Hard & Chris Long in the Round
12:30pm –  1:30pm: The Good Thymes Ceilidh Band
1:45pm – 3:00pm: Pistol Creek Catch of the Day

Everyone is encouraged to bring a lawn chair, kick back and enjoy a lovely afternoon of fun and fellowship in foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Your participation will benefit the amazing and beautiful symbol of the Smokies, the black bear.

The idea for ABR began to percolate after a severe black bear food shortage in 1989 forced bears to forage in highly populated areas. Leaving the shelter of the mountains the bears had many unfortunate conflicts with humans which resulted in a large number of orphaned cubs. A concerned group of volunteers banded together with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agencyand Great Smoky Mountains National Park obtaining a corporate charter in early 1991 to make a difference in the lives of orphaned bears.

Since ABR’s founding they have received bears from national parks, states and the wild lands surrounding the Smokies. Orphaned bears lucky enough to make it to ABR receive a second chance at life in the wild. To date ABR has taken in 269 cubs and yearlings. Volunteers work diligently improving the facility to provide the best possible care for each bear needing a new lease on life.