Free face painting by Keela G. (Provided photo — Katie Turner)

LAKE PLACID — After a pandemic-era hiatus, the Teddy Bear Picnic is once again returning to this village. The event was held Sunday, Sept. 29 at St. Agnes School. It started at 2 p.m., and the parade, led by Aggie the Bear, started at 2:15 p.m.

This year’s theme is the Olympics, so kids and their furry friends were encouraged to dress up like athletes. There were food, drinks and fun prizes. Kids could bring their own stuffed animals and could choose from donated toys at the event. Critter’s Hotspot, a mobile stuffed animal building service, was also be there. After the picnic, any leftover bears were donated to the North Elba Community Christmas Fund.

“It’s a celebration of the love between a child and their stuffed animal and the imaginative play of children,” said Nicole Trainor, Interact Club adviser at Lake Placid Central School and co-organizer of the event.

Before the pandemic, the Teddy Bear Picnic was run for many years under the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs. Now the event is run by the Interact Club, which is the middle/high school equivalent of Rotary.

The Interact Club students brainstormed ideas for the Teddy Bear Picnic revival and contacted businesses they wanted to partner with, said Katier Turner, principal at St. Agnes School and the event’s other co-organizer. As a result of their efforts, Stewart’s Shops provided ice cream sundaes, and Starbucks donated coffee and lemonade.

Oscar R. was the first-place winner for Olympic theme dress at the Teddy Bear Picnic, winning passes to Palace Theatre. (Provided photo — Katie Turner)

One change this year is that the event will not be held at Teddy Bear Park on Hillcrest Avenue.

Turner said that timing is the main reason behind the location. The picnic is being held a bit later in the year so that the Interact Club students could be more involved in organizing the event and they wanted the option to use the St. Agnes gym in case of bad weather. The weather was warm and sunny.

Olivia T. and Sunnie G. with the Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department truck (Provided photo — Katie Turner)

Critters Hotspot birth certificate making for stuffed animals pictured Amarantha T. (Provided photo — Katie Turner)

Marianne J. and Emma O. make bracelets and pinwheels at the St. Agnes School table. (Provided photo — Katie Turner)