Smokey Bear's Birthday Party - Brasstown Bald

Event Details

Smokey Bear has been the national fire prevention symbol since 1944, and this year we are proud to celebrate his 82nd birthday alongside the US Forest Service! We are grateful to recognize such an important representation of wildfire prevention, as the need for wildfire education and awareness is more important with each year. Smokey Bear’s birthday is August 9th, and this year we will observe his celebration on Saturday, August 8th across all of our FIND sites!

Plan Your Visit

Join us on this fee-free day as part of our excitement and gratitude for our forests! You’ll have the chance to meet and take photos with Smokey Bear, listen to his real-life story of how he became our fire prevention symbol, visit with local firefighters on a tour of a real fire truck, and of course…what’s a birthday celebration without cake?

Parking: Please park in the parking lot located just past the fee booth.

Format & Participation Type: This is an all-day celebration of our Forest Service’s most beloved national fire prevention symbol! While Brasstown Bald will open at 9:00 am as usual, official festivities will begin around 11:00 am and throughout the day. See the schedule below for more details of the day’s itinerary!

Schedule: 

• 11:00 AM: Smokey Bear meet ‘n’ greet and read-aloud of Smokey’s story around the visitor center (located at the summit).
• 12:00 PM: Smokey Bear meet ‘n’ greet, and read-aloud of Smokey’s story inside the visitor center.
  • Please join us in singing Happy Birthday to Smokey Bear following the story, and cake will be served shortly afterwards!
• 2:00  PM: Smokey Bear appearance around the visitor center and read-aloud of Smokey’s story.
  • Following Smokey’s 2:00 PM appearance, cake will continue to be served throughout the day outside the visitor center. 

Throughout the day (from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM), our local fire department will be available for fire truck tours in the parking lot area below the summit. Please stop by and say hello to our friends and learn more about the life of a firefighter!

Fee structure: Fee Free Day!