Overview The National Black Bear Festival is a two-day June festival on the Roanoke River waterfront in Plymouth, North Carolina, built around the animal the region is known for: the festival cites a state biologist in saying the Plymouth area has some of the highest black bear densities in the world, and it runs guided tours out to see wild bears on a nearby wildlife refuge. Around the tours sit biologist talks, river cruises, helicopter rides, fireworks and more than 40 other activities. Founder Tom Harrison started it in Plymouth, on the Albemarle Peninsula, and the 2026 edition was the 12th. On site Events spread along the river and through town. Bear-side, there are the Wild Bear Tours, presentations by NC Wildlife Resources Commission bear biologists, a wildlife photography talk, the Black Bear Theater and "Can You Outrun a Bear?", an educational race. The water carries a Sunset River Cruise and pontoon rides, and the night show, Reflections on the Roanoke, fires from six barges. The rest of the program has run to a Papa Bear classic car show, a Paul Bunyan lumberjack show, a Native American pow wow, hot air balloons, a mechanical bear ride, a Cool Cub kid zone, a Run with the Bears 5K and a Miss Black Bear pageant. In 2026 the festival added a drone show and America's 250th programming with fife and drum, bagpipes and Revolutionary War re-enactors, and a beer and wine garden by the stage. Track record The festival won Best New Festival in North Carolina in 2015 and was named North Carolina Event of the Year in 2016 and 2018; it was twice named Best Festival in the Southeast, including in 2022. Its 2026 press release says it regularly draws visitors from more than 20 states and from abroad. Brand presence Partner levels run from a 10-by-10 booth with electricity up to a single presenting partner, which the festival calls the Papa Bear, attached to every event and named in all festival radio and TV advertising. From the middle levels up a partner can attach its name to one attraction, such as the fireworks, the helicopter rides, the Kid Zone, the 5K or the live music stage, and is carried in that event's advertising. Booths may capture data, partners hang their own banners on the festival footprint, and packages include social posts, VIP river-cruise tickets and places on the private bear tours later in June. The festival also recognizes environmental-conservation organizations as Conservation Partners.