More than 200 people gathered in Creston for the Bear Fair — a vibrant, hands-on event aimed at educating families about safe and sustainable ways to share the valley with wildlife.
The event, held June 28 by Trails for Creston Valley Society, was a resounding success, thanks to the collaboration and support of sponsors, partners, volunteers, and community members.
Special thanks to all participants who contributed to our safety, whether by being wild smart, or bear smart. All of the groups involved are dedicated to serving the coexistence corridor where humans essentially inhabit the wild.
Thanks to sponsors, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, who travelled several hours to remind us of our responsibility to share our remarkable home with wildlife for our safety and the ecosystem's health. The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, a partnership between BC Hydro, the Province of B.C., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations, and public stakeholders, helped us have a spectacular day where education and awareness shone brightly.
Our special guests, Grizzly Bear Solutions, provided bear spray demos every 45 minutes, educating six well attended groups throughout the day and answering endless questions. Honey Bee Zen brought an amazing demo on how to coexist with our furry neighbours, featuring a special closed hive with a queen bee. Special thanks to the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre for providing perfect education to the endless stream of visitors, WildSight for demonstrating ways to defend wildlife, water, and wild places in Canada’s Columbia and Rocky Mountain regions, and the fun water trailer that was a hit with adults and kids alike. WildSafe BC travelled from Nelson to share their expertise on bear and human coexistence, leading efforts in preventing conflict through collaboration, education, and community solutions.
Electoral Representative of Regional District Central Kootenay Area B, Rodger Tierney shared some powerful insight during the day. And Dee Howard, Creston Valley's wildlife coexistence co-ordinator, whose knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm shone in her bear spray demo and from the mic when she shared a few words to the gathered group. We also welcomed Creston’s conservation officer for representing our community.
Creston Valley Search and Rescue brought great fun and spirit, demonstrating their equipment used in wild rescues. While we hope they are never called out, their dedication and community support show that we can count on them when needed. They train regularly to respond 24/7, filling various roles to bring lost individuals home.
No fair is complete without kids' events, and we are grateful for the creative contributions of our two face painters from Kootenay Face Painting, and the participation of adults, kids, and booths that challenged our future generation through educational awareness, interactive games, and a welcoming atmosphere. Our event emcee, Kootenay Vibes Entertainment, kept the day's events lively and engaging, the perfect mix for this family event — thank you, Brian! Our guest food trailer, Sweet Janes, provided delicious eats all day, even catering to special dietary needs.
None of this would have been possible without our volunteers' willingness and sacrifice, many of whom had family visiting or weekend plans. They shared their time, making the day fabulous. The biggest thanks go to our visitors; perhaps you came for the kids, but we all left with knowledge to share.
The Bear Fair proved through engaging, educational, and family-oriented programming, we can foster greater understanding and stewardship for our environment. It’s inevitable the enthusiasm from the event will spread the word that awareness is crucial for our safety and the conservation of our environment and ecosystem for future generations. With continued support, we look forward to growing this initiative in the years ahead.
