SUMMIT STATION - It was a beautiful day Sunday for the 13th annual Bear Creek Festival at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds.
The free event from noon to 4 p.m. had plenty of people fishing, eating and enjoying a variety of activities.
"I think that it's a good, free event for families and the kids (to) work on some cool things to take home," Elizabeth Hinkel, district manager of the Schuylkill Conservation District, said.
She said the conservation district likes to take a hands-on approach to environmental education and that's what Sunday was all about.
"We always try to do new things each year," Hinkel said.
New activities this year included Mrs. U Zoo Revue's reptile show, a live bird display with Red Creek Wildlife Center and hoverball archery with the Schuylkill County Sportsman Association.
There were also returning favorites like the Dekka-Haus German Shepherds dog demonstration, T-shirt tie-dying with the Schuylkill Headwaters Association, birdhouse making with The Home Depot, flower pot painting, horse and wagon rides with Ridgeview Percherons and the fish rodeo.
Another new activity for children this year was the soil pudding. Staff at the conservation district educated children about the different layers of soil with the use of edible items such as pudding and candy.
"Soil is the start of everything," Christy Zulli, conservation program technician, said. Healthy soil equals healthy crops."
The stand also featured small areas with different types of soil used for farming on display.
"It's all about awareness and appreciation for the environment," Patrick M. "Porcupine Pat" McKinney, Schuylkill Conservation District environmental education coordinator, said. "Obviously, a lot of people are coming to fish, too."
Blake Lutz, Pine Grove, returned to this year's event with his son, daughter and a few of their friends. They wasted little time hitting the water with their fishing gear.
"There are a lot of crafts to do, farm animals, the German shepherds, it's really entertaining," Lutz said.
Fishing has always been a family activity for Lutz.
"They have a good time and more people should fish with their kids," he said.
Sponsors for the Bear Creek Festival included Schuylkill Economic Development Corp., Rettew, Benesch, The Home Depot, Schuylkill Area Community Foundation, the Foundation for Agriculture and Resource Management, Schuylkill County Fair Association, and Sapa.