Bearfootin' Art Walk
2024 Bear Sponsors are FULL.
To be added to the notification list for 2025 bears, please add your name and email to this form. There is no waitlist, all applications will be opened at the same time.
Bearfootin' Bear Reveal
Get ready to unleash your wild side and join us for the biggest tradition of the season! Mark your calendars for Wednesday May 8th, when the excitement hits its peak at the Visitor Center Stage on South Main Street with the grand unveiling of the Bearfootin' Bears! Before these magnificent bears take their place on Main Street, you'll have the exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with them at the reveal event. Prepare for an unforgettable spectacle as we reveal this majestic masterpiece to the world in all its glory.
About Bearfootin' Art Walk
Since 2003, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk has helped raise funding for Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local non-profits. In addition to raising funds, the bears offer a window into good work being done by community organizations in Henderson County.
The Bearfootin’ Bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in a spectacular fashion, with creative themes ranging from Mona Lisa to Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until auction. Participants bid during the auction to raise funds for local non-profits and Downtown Hendersonville. Winning bids up to $3,000 are split evenly between the downtown program and the nonprofit chosen by the sponsor, while bid amounts exceeding $3,000 are directed entirely to the non-profit.
Bearfootin' Auction Information
Since 2003, the Bearfootin' Art Walk has helped raise funds for Friends of Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local nonprofits. The bears showcase the community's talented artists, as well as provide a window into the good work being done by nonprofits and community organizations in Henderson County.
The Bearfootin’ Bears search for a permanent home each fall as winter nears. In 2020, Friends of Downtown Hendersonville pivoted to a virtual format for the auction, allowing people to bid over the course of a month until a scheduled bidding cutoff. This turned out to be a big success. The same bidding format was continued for the 2021 auction, which raised $102,000 and then $140,000 in 2022!
2024 Bear Sponsors are FULL.
First come first serve - ONLINE Applications for a bear for 2024 opened Tuesday, October 24th at 10am and are now full.
To be added to the notification list for 2025 bears, please add your name and email to this form. There is no waitlist, all applications will be opened at the same time.
20th Anniversary Bear Hunt
2022 marks 20 years of Downtown Hendersonville's Bearfootin' Art Walk! Each year, the program combines local artists, nonprofits and the community to create an interactive art walk downtown, and raise funds for our community. In 2021, we had our biggest auction to date, raising $102,000 for 20 nonprofit organizations.
Now, we're on a hunt to track down the location of our bears over the years and asking YOU to help us out!
Fill out the form if you own a bear, or just spot one in the wild!
Note - for a few years there were painted Apples and Goats! Please feel free to include those too!