Smokey Bear Days return to Capitan this weekend

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Smokey Bears Days return to Capitan, New Mexico, this weekend for the first time since the pandemic.

The two-day event will be held Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4 in downtown Capitan, which is about 9 miles northeast of Ruidoso.

The two-day event will celebrate the 80th birthday of the nation’s most famous fire prevention icon — Smokey Bear.

Smokey Bear park in Capitan to display artwork depicting fire-fighting icon

The event will include a two-day folk music festival, a firefighter challenge, chainsaw carving demonstrations, conservation education, vendor booths and a parade on Saturday morning.

Admission to the event is free.

You can also view an exhibit of artwork by Rudy Wendelin, who is largely credited with popularizing Smokey Bear.

Admission to the Smokey Bear Historical Park is $2 for adults, $1 for kids ages 7-12 and free for children 6 and under.

Smokey Bear Days started in 2004 and was last held in 2019. This year marks the 80th birthday of Smokey Bear. The promotional campaign to fight forest fires was originally launched in 1944.

A real-life version of Smokey Bear was found burnt and clinging to a tree in 1950 in Capitan. He was rescued and lived the rest of his days at the National Zoo in Washington. After Smokey’s death, he was buried at the park bearing his name in Capitan.

For a complete list of events during Smokey Bear Days, click here.

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