PATC Collaborates with the Virginia Black Bear Festival (VBBF)
On Saturday June 1, the town of Stanardsville, Virginia hosted the first Virginia Black Bear Festival (VBBF), “a one-day event designed as "a celebration of nature and mountain exploration in Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail”.
PATC was asked by the Greene County Department of Economic Development and Tourism to partner with them at the Festival. 12 members of the PATC Southern Shenandoah Valley and Charlottesville chapters volunteered at the large and very busy booth right in the center of Festival activities. Several more PATC members stopped by to give their support. Volunteers led two afternoon hikes for Festival attendees on nearby Greene County trails that are maintained by the PATC.
Through talking with people who stopped by the booth and by directing them to key websites, volunteers helped:
· showcase the Club’s work – including land conservation, trail maintenance, led hikes, cabin offerings
· generate greater interest in PATC
· get new hikers onto local trails
· sign up new members
· enlist new volunteers for upcoming projects
Various organizations that honor nature, promote outside activities and adventures, and celebrate the emergence of black bears were on hand to celebrate the Shenandoah National Park, the Appalachian Trail, and Virginia’s wild spaces. All things BEARS were going on – from led-hikes and professional storytellers, to bear- and honey-themed food at area food trucks, appearances by Sasquatch and Smokey the Bear, BEARd and porridge-eating competition, live music, and demonstrations (a master falconer and a pro-bird watcher were present, as well a live bee display, for example).
Next year’s Virginia Black Bear Festival will be celebrated on National Black Bear and National Trails Day – the first Saturday in June 7th 2025.
