THUNDER BAY -- Throughout three and a half decades, where many trends have come and gone, children’s love for stuffed bears has stood the test of time.
At the 34th annual Teddy Bears Picnic at Vickers Park, hundreds of small children gathered on a picture-perfect Tuesday afternoon.
Cameron Hole’s bear, appropriately named “Teddy,” is his go-to for cuddling.
“I like to play with him,” Cameron said. “He’s super-duper fun to play with.”
Although the humid temperatures didn’t necessarily warrant a warm cuddle on Wednesday, Cameron found a place to lay with Teddy in the shade.
The pair also wandered over to the bouncy castle, and face paint station. Those were some of the many options for the more than 4,000 people who attended the picnic.
Of course, some other bears needed to rely on the picnic’s health care system in order to enjoy the highest quality of hugs.
Becca Johnson’s bear received stitching at the boo boo station to mend a ripped leg.
“It’s got a little rip,” she said.
Lindsay Gaw-Martin has been coming to the picnic for 13 years with her three children. She says no matter their age, there’s always something for them to do.
“They used to always love the parade, and now that they’re older they are in to the vendors and snacks… It’s been great to see it evolve over the years,” she said.
“It’s one of our only events for children under five,” Ash Young, the city’s cultural development and events supervisor. “So you see tons of parents, grandparents, out. It’s great to see.”