Pictured is “Day of the Dead Bear.”
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Pictured is “Baby Bear.”
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Pictured is “Emergence Bear.”
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Pictured is “I Was Born in California Bear.”
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
Pictured is “Talavera the Bear.”
Fred Adams | For Abington Journal
CLARKS SUMMIT — Most residents of the Abingtons have seen a black bear at one point or the other, walking across their back yard or munching out of a bird feeder.
This week, residents were celebrating their furry neighbors with “Bears in the Summit,” an event that brought colorful painted bear statues to the downtown area.
The festival kicked off on July 24, with a day full of activities including a bear education table, vendors, a bake sale and live music.
The stars of the festival and of the week, however, were the 11 “bears” that dotted the downtown area, which included a variety of themes which filled the animal forms with color and beauty.
Each bear form had been hand painted by an artist and sponsored by a local business.
Most of the whimsical bruins will remain where they have been installed, with the exception of two that were part of a silent auction — the “Emergence Bear” painted by artists of Verve Vertu Art Studio and the “I Was Born in California” bear painted by Earl Lehman.
The display’s eleventh bear — a crowd favorite — is filled with the colorful handprints of youngsters.
Children had an opportunity to dip their hands in paint and to decorate the black bear on the festival’s first day at a tent overseen by Imagine NEPA,a children’s performance and improv group.
The event included a special coloring book depicting bears drawn by local artists.
A “selfie station” was also available throughout the week, allowing those attending to slip their heads into a bear themed wooden form and smile for the camera.
Supporting artists
The celebration was sponsored by The Gathering Place, in an effort to support artists and bring culture into the community.
Dori Waters, a board member of the organization, said the week-long celebration had been a success.
Many families made their way to the downtown area for a peek at the colorful bears, with most taking time to grab a bite to eat or to do a bit of shopping.
Residents also enjoyed a variety of activities throughout the week which included bear hunt bingo, learning activities and walking on local trails, which included “bear fact” signs.
Friday night a bear-themed coffeehouse was held, providing an opportunity for residents to meet the artists.
Waters credited Project Manager Colleen Carter with making the vision for the project reality, doing everything from overseeing putting together the coloring books to ensuring that the guided trail walks went well.
Waters said The Gathering Place is back to near-normal, after a difficult year.
The festival had been scheduled for 2020 and had been canceled because of COVID-19, which provided added challenges for artists who often lost a second job.
So, the festival, which provided a small stipend for participating artists, provided a chance for them to not only offer up their art, but to get paid for doing it.
Waters said the festival had exceeded her expectations, and was well worth the time and energy that went into it.
A great conversation starter
At Curl Up & Dye, a haircare business, owner Jessica Geritano was more than happy that the Day of the Dead bear was selected to occupy the spot in front of her shop, next to her signature skeleton.
Geritano, a Halloween aficionado, said she thought the theme of the bear was perfectly suited for her shop.
Geritano, who opened up her shop late last year, said that the bear had been a great conversation starter throughout the week.
Often those passing by and taking time to look at the bear, will also ask for one of her cards and inquire about her services.
“It’s been a good week,” she said.
