THUNDER BAY — Hundreds of children, parents, and their beloved stuffed animals gathered at Fort William Gardens today for the annual Teddy Bear Picnic, one of Thunder Bay’s most cherished and long-running family events.
Originally scheduled for Vickers Park, the event was quickly relocated indoors due to the threat of rain.
Despite the last-minute venue change, the spirit of the Teddy Bear Picnic remained strong. Children weaved through rows of booths with their stuffed companions in tow, exploring a wide range of interactive and educational activities.
Special Events Developer Karen Kadolph, who helped organize the day, said the change in venue was made early to ensure the festivities could continue uninterrupted.
“We did have to kind of pivot yesterday,” said Kadolph. “We had a look at the radar and saw that it was supposed to rain all night and possibly today. This event does have a rain location which is Fort William Gardens, so we made the call early, and I think it was a good call.”
Highlights included the First Responders Display, Boo-Boo Bear Station, face painting, food vendors, and a Community Group Expo with valuable information for local families.
“This is a really great event,” Kadolph added. “Not only does it bring the community out to a really cute teddy bear picnic, but it also provides an opportunity for service providers and community groups to connect with parents and children. It’s a great opportunity to bring everybody together.”
A crowd favourite was the Science North Show, which offered a fun and educational experience with demonstrations on how clouds are formed and other weather-related facts.
Master of Ceremonies Christine Battle kept the crowd energized ahead of the performance, bringing laughter and excitement to the buzzing stadium.
One of the most popular attractions was the face painting booth, run by volunteers from The Brick. Store Manager Joseph Wenzel shared that they’ve made it a tradition to participate, and give back.
“We’re doing free face painting at the Teddy Bear Picnic, but we also brought these bears. They’re donations for SickKids Hospital,” said Wenzel. “We face paint hundreds of kids. This is our second year doing it, and our salespeople generously volunteer their time. It’s a ton of fun.”
“We brought 200 bears. We hope that’s enough, but we just love seeing the smiling faces on the kids when they get the bears, and supporting the amazing work SickKids and the Children’s Miracle Network do.”
