Crowds enjoy 9th Annual North Carolina Black Bear Festival in Plymouth

PLYMOUTH, N.C. (WITN) - It was an exciting day in Plymouth as the 9th Annual North Carolina Black Bear Festival greeted crowds.

Families were able to come out and experience many activities from a 5k to helicopter rides.

The festival started in 2015 and has had noticeable growth.

“We decided to come out, and it’s changed an awful lot in five years. When we were here five years ago, you could walk from one into the other in about five minutes, and now the whole town is just the festival,” said attendee Gray Horton.

With new activities for attendees to experience each year the festival has been voted one of the best festivals in Eastern Carolina.

“It started in 2015 with a dream, and it’s turned out to be what’s recently recognized as best festival in the southeast of nine states,” said Tom Harrison, Black Bear Festival Founder.

The festival had a jam-packed schedule kicking off with a 5k and ending with a fireworks show.

With vendors, concerts and bear tours in between first-year attendees say the festival is living up to expectations.

“So far, yes, we have been here long, but it’s been good,” said Erin Jones, an attendee.

Which is exactly what Tom Harrison, the festival’s founder, is hoping to bring to the city of Plymouth.

“I want to hear them say black bear festival. Are you kidding? I can’t see wait to see what those crazy people are doing this year,” said Harrison.

The majority of the festival will wrap up on Saturday, but there are still bear tours being offered tomorrow morning from 5:30-8:30.

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