It’s been forty-two years since his first Teddy Bear picnic, and Terry Reilly still considers it a “dream come true”.
The picnic was born soon after the arrival of his daughter. “The Teddy Bear Man” says he recognized immediately that she had a love for the music and when the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre started doing lunchtime shows, Reilly thought, “why not do something for children and families?”
Terry Reilly’s 42nd Teddy Bear Picnic has been on wheels since noon today. The teddy bear hospital was run by the MUN med students! @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/d5VXy3N4zR
— Victoria Battcock (@VicBattcockVOCM) August 17, 2019
Four decades later and the picnic still draws crowds – and teddy bears – as was witnessed yesterday at Bannerman Park.
Reilly says he’ll keep it going as long as possible. He says it is not all about him, and he will sing at it as long as he is able.
