Great Delta Bear Affair

When: Every October
Where: Rolling Fork, Mississippi

More Information: www.greatdeltabearaffair.org

NAMED A TOP 20 EVENT BY THE SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY

Started as a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Teddy Bear, the Great Delta Bear Affair has grown into a celebration of the Delta and it's history.

Join us for the Great Delta Bear Affair in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, for a fun day filled with activities for the entire family!

2007 "Bear Tracks Through History"

The 2007 Great Delta Bear Affair attracted more than 7,000 people to the quaint community of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on October 27. 

Festival goers could relate to the 2007 GDBA theme “Bear Tracks through History” by attending seminars on black bears, other wildlife, wild-game cooking and Mississippi delta history.  They could listen to storytelling, buy a book and get it signed by the Mississippi author, or talk with the Teddy Roosevelt living historian and his trusty hunting guide, Holt Collier.  They could watch the Wildlife Olympics high school competition, join the archaeological tours of the area, or take a bird walk on the nearby Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge.  And in between all of the heritage, cultural and natural resource activities, folks could participate in the first GDBA distance bicycle ride through the south delta, run or walk a 5K race around the town, or just sit back and enjoy continuous musical entertainment all day long, eat delicious homemade food, shop for arts and crafts among the 60-plus vendors, and be awed by a fireworks finale to rival most 4th of July displays. 

The day before the GDBA festival on October 26, one kick-off function included Youth Education Day for more than 400 Mississippi delta fourth graders.  Natural resource professionals from a variety of agencies engaged the students in discussions, activities, games and presentations related to wildlife, our environment and natural resources of the area.  The Sharkey-Issaquena Soil and Water Conservation District assisted with Youth Ed Day. 

Another function, “Bear Bones Cooking with Billy Joe Cross,” occurred that Friday evening.  Chef Cross titillated taste buds at a special ticketed soiree where he prepared, demonstrated and served wild-game cuisine.  Viking Range Corporation graciously provided their fully equipped, traveling cooking rig for Cross’ use. 

In addition to the two kick-off functions, one week prior to the festival on October 20, the Great Delta Bear Affair horse-trail ride was held on the Delta National Forest, which is just a stone’s throw away from Rolling Fork.   

Now in its sixth year, the goals of the Great Delta Bear Affair continue to be:  1).  raise awareness about the federally protected black bear, 2).  commemorate Theodore Roosevelt’s conservation legacy and his famous 1902 bear hunt in Mississippi that gave rise to the Teddy bear, and 3).  highlight the natural resource opportunities of the state’s delta region.  To keep the GDBA going, many civic-minded people from Rolling Fork continue to work with representatives from organizations, and state and federal agencies, to plan and implement the festival and associated functions.  Many individual contributors, along with committed corporate sponsors including Cellular South, Delta Telephone, Comcast, Entergy, Gannett Foundation, Viking Range Corporation, Diamond Jacks and BEaR, provide the critical financial support necessary to make the Great Delta Bear Affair a reality.     

By most festival standards, the 2007 Great Delta Bear Affair was “a cut above” with exceptional educational events, fantastic food, enjoyable entertainment, a variety of vendors, acclaimed activities and picture perfect weather.  Organizers and attendees alike agreed that this year’s GDBA was the biggest and best one yet.  And, as always, all proceeds from the Great Delta Bear Affair festival and associated functions go toward helping bring black bears back to Mississippi.

Contributed by: Connie Light Dickard, BEaR Public Affairs

 

For more information on the Great Delta Bear Affair's events or information on exhibiting please call 662-873-6258.

 

Photos from Great Delta Bear Affair

Kathy Lunceford of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quizzes students about wildlife on education day, 2007	Festival-goers enjoy the beautiful weather and goodies offered by vendors, 2007
Teddy Roosevelt and Holt Collier, 2006	Local kids pose with the Teddy Roosevelt Bear
The Blues Rangers perform to the crowd, 2006	The Teddy Roosevelt bear checks out a trap used for research on black bears in Mississippi, 2006

Photos: USFWS