(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Living in southern Colorado, bear encounters are common, but Saturday, Nov. 9, brought a different kind of bear encounter.
Hundreds of people donned bear suits Saturday for the 10th annual Bear Run at Bear Creek Regional Park. Each participant received a bear suit to keep and wear during the event.
The annual run supports Friends of El Paso County Nature Centers, which funds educational programs and nature camps. It’s a family-friendly 5K and 3K fun run and walk, with prizes awarded for the best bear costumes.
“We really wanted to draw a different, more diverse audience to the programs that we do,” said Mary Jo Lewis, Supervisor of Bear Creek Nature Center. “And we know in Colorado, people love their quirky runs. People will hit the trail for a variety of reasons. If it’s fun and they get a costume, even better. So this was just a great way to raise funds for the nonprofit that we support and to bring people together in a really fun and quirky way while doing that.”
After the race, runners gathered at Black Bear Diner for bear-sized portions, with 20% of the day’s sales going to nature centers across El Paso County.
