The bears are back in town

MILFORD — In Pike County, it's not unusual to see a black bear walking along a quiet road or feasting in a backyard bird feeder. But 11 bears in one place? That's a real party!
The 17th annual Black Bear Film Festival's "Artful Bears Community Picnic" will debut this year’s beloved statues, the sculptures adorned by local artists to promote the film festival coming to Milford from Oct. 14-16.
The picnic will to be held rain or shine from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, on the lawn of the Community House at 201 Broad St. in Milford. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
The picnic will also feature a meet-and-greet with the Artful Bear artists, live music, a hot dog cart, lemonade and baked treats, kids' crafts and games, and a coloring contest. Smokey Bear will make a special appearance from 4 until 4:15 p.m., thanks to Grey Towers National Historic Site and the U.S. Forest Service.
Black Bear T-shirts, baseball caps and more will be available for sale at the festival pop-up shop at the picnic.
After the event, the 11 bears will be distributed to the storefronts of the businesses sponsoring them. Event coordinators Emmi Lucca and Amy Eisenberg and a team of volunteers will offer “bear maps” showing these locations for post-picnic "bear hunting."
The picnic kicks off a fundraiser to ensure the festival’s continued success. The bear sculptures will be available to bidders on as part of the festival's silent auction.
The 17 Annual Black Bear Film Festival will be held on Oct. 14 to 16. An opening night gala held on Oct. 14 will kick off 3 days of films in the historic Milford Theatre, as well as a free two-day film salon featuring student filmmakers screening their films.
For a full listing of Black Bear Film Festival events, visit blackbearfilm.com.