The Bear Paw Festival is a Community Festival and not designed like your typical fenced in Fair. The Vendor Court and Carnival can be found on Business Blvd. We have events throughout the Eagle River area at various businesses and locations!  To find out specific locations of events and activities take a look at our Daily Schedule. 

Don’t be surprised!!!! Take note of the following road closures & restricted access points for this year’s festival in the Eagle River Business District.

Special note for businesses: don’t forget that the temporary closures and restricted access can impact your employee shift schedules! Don’t get stuck—Plan ahead.

The Chamber recommends staying off the Old Glenn by 10:00am on Saturday the 12th.

July 10, 11, 12 & 13 for Pedestrian Safety:
Business Blvd will close between Matanuska Valley Credit Union and Regency Drive on Thursday, July 10th at 10am until Sunday, July 13th at 6pm. Local access only to Timber Ridge, VCA Vet Clinic and Secure Storage will be maintained. Vetted access for members of Mat-Valley Credit Union will be available for Thursday & Friday only. Traffic will be rerouted onto Regency Drive.

July 12 for Grand Parade:
Old Glenn Hwy between Eagle River Loop & Eagle River Rd will close entirely from 10:45am to approximately 12:15pm.

Centerfield Drive will close in its entirety from 8:00am until Parade finish

Business Blvd will close in its entirety 10:15 am until Parade finish

Monte Road and Old Eagle River Road – will have restricted access between 8am – 12:15pm.

Farm Avenue closes temporarily in order to start the 5K between 9:30am and 10:40am - Traffic will be rerouted up Eagle River Loop Road or Eagle River Road.
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Notices:
1. People Mover will have a temporary stop on Friday evening - location will be displayed at Bus Depo prior to July 10th. 
2. The Festival is inside the downtown district and parking is severely limited. There will be a FREE FESTIVAL SHUTTLE running Friday, Saturday and Sunday - see Festival Map & Shuttle for more information including times and locations.
3. Do not park behind Carrs-Safeway - you will be ticketed if you park there. Please be respectful of other businesses who are open during the Festival times as their customers need access to parking.

Questions? Call the Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce at (907) 694-4702!    

Our recommendation - Plan a different route away from those roads on Saturday between 9:00am-1:00pm

The Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce put on the Bear Paw Festival. The Chamber is a Non-Profit Organization with only one fulltime staff. All of our Chamber Board of Directors are Volunteers. 

Without the help of our Bear Paw Festival Committee,  Board of Directors and Community Volunteers, the Festival would not be in its 40th Year in Eagle River! Please be kind and patient with our Festival Volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering please contact [email protected]. 

Attendance is always FREE at the Bear Paw Festival!

Note: Some events & activities have entry fees. 

The Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce contracts out with Alaska Markets & Events for our Bear Paw Festival Vendor Court. Contact them at  anchoragemarkets.com or (907) 272-5634 for more information.

The Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce has a few PRIME Chamber Member Food Vendor Spaces. Each Year, following the First Right of Refusal Vendors, a lottery will open for any available slots. See separate tab for more information. 

The Bear Paw Festival Headquarters is located in the Transit Center Parking Lot in Town Square on Business Blvd. If the booth is not open and you have a question or concern please leave a message at (907) 694-4702 or by email at [email protected]. You may also leave a message on our Facebook Page, but you will not necessarily receive an immediate response. 

Please be patient, we have a high volume of calls and visitors during the Festival dates. 

The First Aid Tent through Team One is located in the Bus Transit Center near the Bear Paw Headquarters. 

Bear Paw Headquarters is the official Lost Child Location. It is also the official Lost & Found for the Festival. Both the Vendor Court and Golden Wheel Amusements will have their own lost & found during the festival days, however; following the completion of Bear Paw, the Chamber Office located at 12001 Business Blvd. Ste. 108 will have the entire Lost and Found Inventory for all 3 locations. 

Thanks for your interest! Our Non-Profit organization cannot hold the Festival without our dedicated volunteers! Please CLICK HERE to contact the Chamber. 

Unfortunately, downtown Eagle River has limited parking for the Festival. Look for Official Bear Paw Festival Parking Signs or check back often on our Website and Facebook Pages for a list of official Bear Paw Festival Parking Partners!

2025: Available closer to Festival
2024: Fred Meyer, Walmart, Muni Lot - In front of Chamber/CER Library, Eagle River Bowl, Mike's Meat's Strip Mall, Carrs-Safeway

Please do not park in private parking areas, coned off or restricted parking spots as you may be towed at your own expense. The Festival is spread out all over the town and our regular Businesses Members in the area still conduct business with their customers and clients during the 5-day Festival. 

The Bear Paw Shuttle, sponsored by AK Family Taekwondo is FREE!

Check out the Shuttle Schedule and Locations Here

Thanks for your interest. Take a look at our Bear Paw Festival Partner Package Here

Contact Britney Olsen, Executive Director of the Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce - [email protected] or (907) 694-4702. 

Thanks for your interest. The Bear Paw Festival has a stage with music and a beer tent called: Bear Paw LIVE Beer & Music. 

While our small-town Festival is growing, we still hold true to our roots. Each year we work with local bands and musicians to offer free entertainment. If you are interested in participating in 2025 please contact [email protected]. 

The 2024 Bear Paw line up is full. 

Service Animals Allowed. All others are highly discouraged. The Festival is family-friendly, but pets do best if left at home. Your pet may do fine until placed in a strange environment with other pets, people and unfamiliar noise. Over the years, we have had a number of inadvertent bites because animals are stressed. If you do bring your dog they MUST be on a leash. If the animal appears to be dangerous or disruptive, Festival Staff will ask you to leave the Festival grounds. 

If you are sick, not feeling well, or have an infectious disease, or have been exposed to someone who is,  please do not come to the Festival. 

You will notice throughout the Festival additional hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers. 

During the Carnival's Hours of Operation there will be a Hospitality/Baby Nursing and Changing Booth located in the carnival grounds. Special thanks to the Chugiak-Eagle River Ministry Network, Newborns in Need, and Heart to Heart for providing this much needed service. 

If you are interested in volunteering click here

Handicap parking is available throughout the Festival grounds as its located in the middle of town, however; parking spots fill up quickly. It is recommended to be dropped off near the Festival grounds or take the Official Bear Paw Shuttle. The Shuttle drops near the Festival, but planning ahead is essential as the Festival activities are widely dispersed. 

There is limited seating in the Festival Grounds. It is recommended to bring your camping chairs!