Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday Party

Come celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday on August 9th at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center!

The Smokey Bear we all know and love got his start in 1944 as part of an advertising campaign to empower people to be active participants in preventing forest fires. In 1950, a real black bear cub, orphaned by a forest fire in New Mexico, was adopted as the first living representation of Smokey and lived a long life at the National Zoo. Over the years, Smokey and his slogan, “Only you can prevent forest fires,” have become national icons. After all of that hard work, it’s time to party!

The Forest Service and the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center are partnering to throw Smokey a birthday bash celebrating Smokey and everything he’s done over the past eight decades to teach folks about wildfire prevention. The celebration is scheduled for August 9th, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. All are welcome, and admission is completely free!

We’ll have a variety of fun activities, including storytime with Forest Service rangers, fire engines spraying hoses, scavenger hunts, a bear education station, the chance to hug Smokey, and more. Enjoy cool, refreshing slices of watermelon throughout the party, and don’t miss the cake-cutting at noon, with cake for everyone to enjoy!

This event is the perfect family outing for a summer day, offering educational fun and tasty treats. We look forward to seeing you there!