Fall Fun in the Forest offers bear-aware event at Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park

Fall Fun in the Forest is a brand-new event presented by a brand-new event planning duo that will see bear safety awareness showcased in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Organizers Cara Brinsky and Nadine Furnell of Fluid Affairs and Events have teamed up with Northern Lights Wildlife Society for the event, which will have local entertainers, vendors, food trucks and community groups gather to celebrate all things fall in Prince George.

Northern Lights Wildlife Society, from Smithers, rehabilitates orphaned bear cubs, and will have representatives on hand to talk about what they do.

Fluid Affairs and Events started when Brinsky and Furnell were talking about creating opportunities for local businesses to be showcased.

“But we didn’t just want to do local markets,” Furnell said. “We wanted to do vendors, food trucks, entertainment, activities and make it a family event so it wasn’t just a shopping trip.”

When Furnell thinks about fall she immediately thinks about bears.

“I reached out to Northern Lights Wildlife Society because we wanted to bring bear awareness to the community," Furnell said. "Too many bears are being killed because of human interaction and humans not securing garbage properly and we need to just be bear-aware so that’s how this event came to be.”  

Fluid wants to focus on the community, Brinsky added.

It’s important for the pair to help out where they can and each knows how much support is needed by non-profits like the Northern Lights Wildlife Society.

Brinksy said she has a big goal set for their first event.

“I’m one of those 'go big or stay home' kind of people so my goal is 100 vendors, 10 food trucks and multiple performers – we’re not going to make that but it’s fun to try,” Brinsky laughed. “But we’re doing pretty good. So far we have more than half the food trucks on board and it sounds like we’ve got a couple of different performers, we’re going to put up extra tents and tables for sitting areas and we’re reaching out to some of the sports teams to see if they can send their mascots out. We really want to build community.”

“And promote our community groups,” Furnell said. “We’re two working moms with a vision so we know it’s going to take some time. We do have big dreams and big goals and we know this will fit in with the North. We want to create events that we would like to participate in and we want to ask the community what they would like to see happen in Prince George. What is missing in your life that you would attend once a quarter or once a month? Let’s do it.”

Fall Fun in the Forest goes Saturday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park.

Partial proceeds from the event go directly to Northern Lights Wildlife Society.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/fluidaffairsandevents.