WINNIPEG — The Teddy Bears’ Picnic will live on this year after all, albeit virtually.
The 34th annual event was to take place on May 31 at Assiniboine Park, but was another casualty of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba now has other plans and will be running a full day of online fun for families to enjoy.
“We’ve been looking at options to still provide something free and fun for families and that includes health education for kids. These are core concepts of our annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic,” says Stefano Grande, president and CEO of CHFM.
The virtual party will include physical activities, at-home crafts and scavenger hunts, entertainment features and special video segments from the Dr. Goodbear Clinic and I Want to be a Scientist tent experts.
“We want to give all the families who are missing the outdoor event an opportunity to still have their Teddy Bears’ Picnic, as well as share with them some of the things that happen in the hospital for kids who are staying there right now,” added Grande.
The virtual event will take place May 31 in posts on the CHFM Facebook page.
The virtual picnic marks the final day to purchase Teddy Bears’ Picnic 50/50 raffle tickets to support the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, which has seen significant challenges in raising funds for HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital since the pandemic started.
