Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear are set to wake from hibernation as Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts kick off their 2026 camping season with annual bear-waking events across the United States and Canada.
Families will gather with handmade noisemakers and participate in parades designed to rouse the iconic Hanna-Barbera characters.
“If you hear a lot of laughing and shouting, combined with the sound of people banging pots and pans and other noisemakers on a Saturday morning, it’s probably a parade of Jellystone Park guests on their way to wake up Yogi Bear, Boo Boo and Cindy Bear,” said Trent Hershenson, vice president of marketing for Camp Jellystone, the Southfield, Michigan-based company that franchises Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts.
The events allow children to create their own noisemakers through craft activities offered on-site, although guests are welcome to bring personal items.
Dates vary by location, with Sunbelt parks hosting events in late winter and northern sites scheduling them in spring. Photo opportunities and additional activities typically follow the wake-up parades.
“Once they are awake, Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear can then take part in organized activities which are scheduled throughout the camping season,” Hershenson said.
Jellystone Park operates more than 75 franchised locations in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences. The resorts are known for family-oriented attractions including pools, water slides, mini golf, foam parties, wagon rides, and dance events.
Several locations have scheduled bear-waking events for spring. In Indiana, Bloomington hosts a “Wake the Bears” weekend April 10-12, while Fremont will feature a noisemaker parade and “Bear Boogie Dance Party” April 24-26.
Iowa’s Monticello site will also hold a “Bear-y Big Wake Up Weekend” April 10-12 with educational displays from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, relay races, and a bear costume contest.
Massachusetts’ Carver location will host a noisemaker parade and dance party April 17-19. Michigan’s Carsonville and South Haven parks will schedule events May 1-3, including bear-ear crafts, scavenger hunts, and a flashlight candy hunt.
New Hampshire’s Milton park will hold a noisemaking parade May 15-17 followed by a dance party. North Carolina’s Asheboro and Tabor City parks plan wake-up events March 27-29, featuring pajama parties, wagon rides, and games.
Ohio’s Uniontown location opens May 1-3 with themed crafts, games, and complimentary fresh donuts. Tennessee’s Loudon site will hold a Bearly Awake week March 6-12, including a parade and silent disco, while Virginia’s Williamsburg park will conduct a noisemaker parade February 23 to March 1.
Camp Jellystone’s events provide families with interactive opportunities to engage with characters while supporting a full calendar of seasonal activities.
Featured image by Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts via campjellystone.com