News Features

Umatilla Bear Festival Returns This Weekend

    This Saturday, January 31, will mark a special day in Umatilla as the Umatilla Black Bear Festival convenes in Cadwell Park in downtown. The day will mark the rebirth of the event, which was last held in 2018 and was at that time known as the Florida Wildlife Festival.
   Saturday will see dozens of vendors, organizations, entertainment providers and more on hand supporting bear education and local fun, under the auspices of the City of Umatilla, which has taken the lead in bringing the festival back to life.
   Founded as the Florida Black Bear Festival and later renamed the Florida Wildlife Festival, the event was created to raise awareness of the plight of the Florida Black bear as the bear population growth and human development began to intersect in the late 1990’s. The festival was operated under a partnership that included the city, the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the U.S. Forest Service among others. Today, the city is the lead organization after officials last year voiced a desire to bring the event back after it was first cancelled in 2019 due to Tropical Storm Nester. In 2020, the COVID pandemic preempted any event, and the festival continued to lie dormant until this year.
   With its new name and new lead organizer, the event has added some new flair to go along with the traditional activities. The Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway has returned with its popular bus tours into bear country (pre-register at thor1505@aol.com) and the FWC and U.S. Forest Service will have informational displays. But there will also be all-day skateboard activity at the skate park in Cadwell Park, and the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile will be on hand, its first known trip to Umatilla and perhaps the most unique festival offering in the event’s history.
   The fun starts at 10 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m., with the public able to engage in hands on activities as well as learn about a host of environmental issues during the event. There will be live entertainment, three award-winning food trucks offering dining options, and a beer and wine tent from the Umatilla Kiwanis Club.
   The event will have an aerial component this year, with Fly Umatilla hosting discovery flights from the Umatilla airport - call 352-931-0265 to learn more - and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office planning a flyover at 3 p.m.
   Additionally, the Umatilla Historical Museum will be open during the event. The museum is located a block north of Cadwell Park on Trowell Avenue, and is within easy walking distance from the festival.
   For a complete schedule, see a special promotional section on pages 8 and 9 in this week’s paper.