A bear of a festival

Smokey Bear, music and nature highlight the Festival of the Forest

By Garth Guibord

The Sandy Post, Sep 10, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

contributed photo / Sandy Post

Youngsters enjoy a lesson about Smokey the Bear's Trail taught by U.S. Forest Service rangers as part of last year's Festival of the Forest.

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The Festival of the Forest doesn’t just celebrate the amazing natural resources that surround us; it also brings in some exceptional musical resources, including the New Iberians, the Garcia Birthday Band and the Too Loose Band.

But this year, those popular bands will have some pretty stiff competition in a Southern belle and a bear.

Grace Saad, a volunteer ranger with the Forest Service, will sing the “Smokey the Bear” song with the legendary and furry mammal.

“It is an extensive four- or five-verse song,” said Saad, who noted that she feels very comfortable singing and also plays the piano. “(But) we usually sing the first.

“It’s just going to be the coolest thing you’ve ever heard.”

While the song may be the highlight for many, the festival – coming up Saturday, Sept. 13, and Sunday, Sept. 14, at the Wildwood Recreation Area, 65670 Highway 26 in Welches – will also have a lot of other cool things, including food, vendors and, of course, the music.

The Forest Service will also be on hand with a variety of interactive and educational displays and activities. Children and their families can make wooden nametags and painted fish, enjoy animal furs and tracks, learn about fire prevention and enjoy a guided hike through the forest.

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