Welcome to the NC Black Bear Festival website! It is our goal to inspire you. Come learn and have fun through our educational, whimsical, entertaining and diverse event. With our location on the banks of the Roanoke River, Bear Fest is part river festival and part bear festival with over 30 ever-changing activities each year.



Our mission is to celebrate the fact that Eastern North Carolina has the world’s largest black bears and the highest black bear densities - and to educate people about these magnificent animals.



The NC Black Bear Festival has won more major awards in its first four-years of existence than has ever been done before in our State. We are humbled by the prestigious recognition we have received in such a short period of time from our peers in the festival & events industry.



From BBQ, to various fruits, seafood, music and more, there are over 170 festivals in North Carolina that are members of the NC Assoc. of Festival & Events who are committed to celebrating everything that is good in North Carolina. We are just one example.



We hope you will enjoy perusing our website and you will make plans to join us for the next award-winning NC Black Bear Festival. It all takes place here in Bear-olina® on the first weekend in June each year. This is “where traffic ends and adventure begins!”