National Black Bear Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
The National Black Bear Festival states that it secured the National Black Bear Day designation and that the day is celebrated on the first Saturday in June each year.
About National Black Bear Day
National Black Bear Day is observed on the first Saturday in June as an educational observance centered on the American black bear.
The National Black Bear Festival credits festival founder Tom Harrison with proposing the day after finding that black bears lacked a comparable national observance.
Why National Black Bear Day matters
The day connects wildlife education with a festival that highlights black-bear ecology, conservation and the importance of understanding wild bears safely.
It is a creator-led observance rather than a federal public holiday.
History of National Black Bear Day
The National Black Bear Festival says Tom Harrison applied to National Day Calendar in 2017 to create National Black Bear Day.
The festival says the application was accepted and that the first National Black Bear Day was celebrated at Bear Fest in June 2018.
A 2024 festival release says the designation is celebrated on the first Saturday in June each year in conjunction with the National Black Bear Festival.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Tom Harrison of the National Black Bear Festival
The festival’s founder history says Harrison applied in 2017 to create the first National Black Bear Day.
National Black Bear Festival / National Day Calendar
The festival says Harrison’s application to National Day Calendar was accepted and the observance then began at Bear Fest.
First documented observance
The festival states that the first National Black Bear Day was celebrated at Bear Fest in June 2018; the reviewed source does not specify the day of month.
National Black Bear Festival
The festival’s 2024 release continues to connect National Black Bear Day with the annual Bear Festival.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe National Black Bear Day
Learn how American black bears behave and how to avoid attracting them with unsecured food or rubbish.
Visit a wildlife center, park or reputable conservation program that teaches bear-aware practices.
If you live in bear country, review local guidance on food storage, pets and safe distances from wildlife.
Support habitat protection or wildlife education programs in your region.
National Black Bear Day Facts
The annual rule is the first Saturday in June.
Tom Harrison applied to create the day in 2017.
The festival records the first celebration in June 2018.
The observance is linked to the National Black Bear Festival in Plymouth, North Carolina.
The reviewed first-party source does not give a more precise first-observance date than June 2018.
National Black Bear Day Messages
Happy National Black Bear Day — learn something new about black bears and how to share habitat with them safely.
Celebrate the first Saturday in June with respect for black bears, their habitats and the people who study them.
Here’s to healthy bear habitat, responsible outdoor habits and better wildlife education.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
National Black Bear Festival — 2024 press release (opens in a new tab)
Original Organizer
National Black Bear Festival — founder history (opens in a new tab)
Original Organizer
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Black Bear Day?
First Saturday in June (6 June in 2026) The documented recurrence rule is: First Saturday in June.
Does National Black Bear Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is National Black Bear Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / National Black Bear Festival education initiative. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Black Bear Day?
The reviewed sources identify National Black Bear Festival / National Day Calendar as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Tom Harrison of the National Black Bear Festival. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as National Black Bear Festival.
Is National Black Bear Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / National Black Bear Festival education initiative.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is National Black Bear Day?
It is observed on the first Saturday in June.
Who created National Black Bear Day?
The National Black Bear Festival credits its founder, Tom Harrison, with applying to create the observance in 2017.
When was it first celebrated?
The festival says the first National Black Bear Day was celebrated at Bear Fest in June 2018.
Why is it on the first Saturday in June?
The festival says the designation is celebrated on that Saturday in conjunction with its annual Bear Festival; the reviewed sources do not document a separate date-selection decision.
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