The Charleston Parks Conservancy is hosting the 8th Annual Teddy Bear Picnic on Sunday, March 5th at Hampton Park. This year’s event will have a special addition – the debut of Parker Bear, the star of a new book published by the Conservancy.
“Here, There and Everywhere with Parker Bear” is a children's book written by the Conservancy's volunteer Park Angels and photographed by Charleston photographer Libby Williams. In the book, Parker Bear heads out on a Charleston parks adventure. Along the way, Parker tends to the vegetables at Magnolia Community Garden in West Ashley, jumps rope with children at St. Julian Devine Community Center, meets a tourist at White Point Garden, buys honey at the Charleston Farmers Market in Marion Square, and sails a model boat at Colonial Lake.
The book ends with Parker meeting children and their teddy bears at Hampton Park where they enjoy an afternoon in the park. Parker Bear will be at this year's real-life Teddy Bear Picnic where families can pick up a pre-ordered signed copy of “Here, There and Everywhere with Parker Bear.” Limited copies will be available for purchase at the picnic.
The event, which is free and runs from 1:30 pm until 4:30 pm, also includes:
- Enjoy kid-friendly musical entertainment
- Puppets
- Hip hop dancing
- Dress your bear in his/her best outfit and join in the bear fashion show
- A Teddy Care Station for “injured” bears needing treatment and checkups
- Face painting
- Seed planting
- Cookie decorating
- Crafts
- Hula hooping
- Teddy bear parade
Families are invited to bring a picnic lunch, blankets, and chairs to enjoy an afternoon in the park. Food will be available for purchase from local food trucks.
The event is free but families can time time at check-in by pre-registering online and pre-ordering their copy of “Here, There and Everywhere with Parker Bear” here. For more information, visit www.charlestonparksconservancy.org.
The rain date for the event is Sunday, March 12th.
