GATHERINGS
Snowbears Take on the Great Lawn
Polar Bear Fest aims to connect people of all ages and walks of life with environmental groups, activists, and artists to build a community in which ideas, art, daily practices, sources of information, and plans for action are shared to raise awareness of the state of Planet Earth on which we have a definitive impact. We hope to cultivate mindfulness through collaborative art making. We invite you to join our first global climate action Gathering in Central Park.
Who: Anyone and Everyone! All ages, all walks of life, all abilities can participate!
What: Come build snowbears, invite friends and people passing by to help. Artists, musicians, actors, dancers, and photographers can make their contributions, by entertaining, documenting, and sharing. Climate scientists and members of environmental groups: please come, share your knowledge, and suggest ways in which we can stop the climate crisis.
When: As soon as there is enough appropriate-quality snow on the ground (approx. six inches). Subscribe so you can be informed of days on which snowbear building might take place. But you don’t have to wait. If you think there’s enough snow, start building on your own.
Where: The Great Lawn in Central Park, NYC (We start at the West Side Entrance, see map below)
Why: To mold the beginnings of a community in which climate issues are discussed with practical concern and solutions. Building snowbears together fosters genuine connections: that’s what art is meant to do, and what life is all about. Creating a large scale symbol to demonstrate that our current policies need to be changed.
How to Build a Bear
Poses for Snowbears
What to Bring
what you will need to be comfortable in the snow for a few hours
dark colored buttons, caps, rocks, pebbles, for the eyes and noses of the polar bears
snow and gardening shovels to most effectively gather snow and shape it
props and accessories for your bear, such as sunglasses, clothing, instruments, books, or whatever you’d like
used cardboard (from old boxes, for example) for signs
pens, pencils, markers to write on signs
used hats, gloves, aprons, scarves, or shirts that you would like to stamp and wear at the Gathering
ink pads for our PBF stamps (only if you have spare ones)
warm beverages, snacks, etc.
Tips: if you don’t have waterproof shoes, take a solid plastic bag and slip into them and then into your shoes. If the snow is too dry, you can bring containers of water to make it pack more effectively. If you bring extra materials, you can also share them with others.
When departing, please don’t leave anything behind (beside the decorations for your bears. And please gather those as well when the bear melts, or ask your neighbor-builder to pick it up for you. We should all try to contribute to each other’s happy experience.)
Let’s All Gather
Give Your Bear a Voice
After you build your snowbear, you may write a message for your bear to share, which can be an invocation, poem, or something else that sparks conversation about the impact of fossil fuels on polar bear habitat.
Some examples to write on the sign:
Stop Supporting Fossil Fuels
The Arctic is Melting
Mommy, What’s a Carbon Footprint?
I Bear-y Much Need Your Help
Obviously, YOU can do better!
Feel free to write your Instagram handle on the sign.
