Teddy Bear Picnic returns to Hampton Park on March 1st
The Conservancy’s Teddy Bear Picnic has become a must-attend event for families throughout the Charleston area, as it provides a fantastic way for parents and children to unplug, have fun, and enjoy the day in one of Charleston’s iconic parks.
Please join us on Sunday, March 1st from 1:30-4:00 PM for our 11th annual Teddy Bear Picnic, presented by Dominion Energy! Children and their teddy bears will happily converge on Hampton Park to enjoy live music, face painting, seed planting, crafts, and much more. We are thrilled to be working with many community partners to help execute a wonderful event including, the City of Charleston’s Environmental Education Team, The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, and more. It’s going to be an extra special day for all! Admission and all activities are free.
Panera Bread will be sponsoring a cooking decorating station and MUSC Children’s Health will be back again to sponsor our popular Teddy Bear ER. And if your teddy bear needs a dental check up, Coastal Kids Dentistry will be there to take a look at your bear’s teeth.
Families are welcome to spread out on a blanket for a picnic lunch while enjoying music from John Cusatis and a performance by the Watoto Ensemble from Meeting Street Academy live on stage presented by Cru Catering. Kickin’ Chicken and King of Pops will also have food available for purchase. Additional activities include Beary CrossFit with CrossFit Charleston, a scavenger hunt, storytime hosted by Begin With Books, Kidding Around Yoga, and a tea party under the oaks with treats from Cru Catering. The Lady Bug Lady and her car Ms. Lulu will have ladybugs onsite, and the City of Charleston Recreation Environmental Education will bring reptiles.
“The Teddy Bear Picnic has become one of our signature events,” said Megan Mills, Community Engagement Manager for the Conservancy. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to connect with Hampton Park and enjoy the outdoors. For many people it’s become a true family tradition.”
The genesis for the Teddy Bear Picnic came from the Conservancy’s volunteer Park Angels who wanted to create a free event that encouraged families to spend more time in the parks. In 2017, volunteer Park Angels wrote a children’s book based on the Teddy Bear Picnic entitled Here, There and Everywhere with Parker Bear. The images were photographed by Charleston photographer Libby Williams and the book chronicles the adventures of Parker Bear as he visits 10 city parks before meeting his friends at Hampton Park for the annual Teddy Bear Picnic. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.
Dozens of volunteers are still needed for this event. To volunteer or learn more about the event click here. The rain date for the event is Sunday, March 8.