The Annual Bayou Teche Bear Festival, is held in April, in beautiful downtown Franklin. Franklin, located in the heart of St. Mary Parish on historic Bayou Teche, is noted for its beautiful antebellum homes, quaint bed and breakfasts, and majestic live oaks. The city is surrounded by expansive cypress tupelo swamps, the unique and expansive Atchafalaya Basin , and in the heart of the nation's “energy coast,” where the infrastructure for the production and transport of much of the oil and gas that is distributed to the rest of the United States can be found. The area has a rich natural heritage, with a bountiful list of species readily available for the wildlife fancier. Among those is the Louisiana black bear      ( Ursus americanus luteolus ).

The mission of the bear festival is to educate the citizens of St. Mary Parish and the surrounding area about the Louisiana black bear, a species listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as “threatened” under the guidelines of the Endangered Species Act. The festival features all the activities associated with a typical Louisiana festival, music, food, and good company, but also includes field trips, educational exhibits and children's activities relating to bears and the many other natural resources found in south Louisiana.

Paul Davidson
P.O. Box 80442
Baton Rouge , LA 70898
Phone: (225)763-5425
Fax: (225)765-2452
pauldavidson@bbcc.org

www.bayoutechebearfest.org