Unexpected visitor found at Colorado Renaissance Festival

DENVER (KDVR) — From medieval knights to fairies to mermaids, you never know who you will spot at the Colorado Renaissance Festival. But this past weekend, there was one guest that took the whole event by surprise.

On Sunday, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the festival in Larkspur for an uninvited guest who was unwilling to leave.

An 80-pound black bear, who was named Smoky, made his way into the Renaissance Festival and decided to take a break under one of the buildings.

“Ironically, it was under a building that sold honeycombs,” said the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Colorado Renaissance Festival 2024: Everything you need to know

Deputies moved all human guests away from the area and waited for Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers to assist.

According to the sheriff’s office, the bear didn’t seem bothered by the commotion. At one point, deputies said Smoky found a ball to play with while he rested in the shade.

Once CPW arrived, Smoky was safely removed from the festival and taken to a location more suitable for black bears — far away from humans.

The Colorado Renaissance Festival will run until Aug. 4 with a different theme each weekend. For everything you need to know, check out this guide.

The number of human-bear conflicts has dropped in the last few years, with 15% fewer interactions in 2023 than in 2022. Of the 3,526 human-bear conflicts last year, just over half resulted in property damage of some sort.

If you spot a black bear close to your home, you can call your local CPW region or submit a form online.

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