Community Ambassadors
If you are a goodwill leader, interested in developing your speaking skills, build new relationships and memories, and would like the opportunity to travel throughout Washington representing the McCleary Community as an Ambassador, then Bear Festival is for you!
Bear Festival Ambassadors have reigned over the festival and represented the City of McCleary since 1959. The Ambassadors are your official host and is one of the most visible parts of the McCleary Bear Festival. Throughout a one year reign, Ambassador Program members, in addition to traveling with the float, will make appearances at various events to represent the Festival, and also perform tasks as a goodwill leader of the McCleary Community.
The Scholarship Program provides an opportunity for outstanding young individuals to be recognized for their community commitment and spirit. In return, our crowned Senior Queen or King receive a $1,000 college/trade school scholarship at completion of their royal duties. This is an opportunity to make life-long friends around the state and within the community.
The Bear Festival Ambassadors are comprised of multiple outstanding students chosen from the McCleary and Elma School District. In a typical year, Ambassador announcements take place in late November. Following their selection, members will proudly be presented as an official Bear Festival Princess or Prince and a City of McCleary Ambassador, with first appearance at the annual December fundraiser.
During our 60th Annual Bear Festival, the community expanded the program to include the first Junior Ambassadors (ages 10-12) Program for our City. The Junior members were established to help build excitement throughout the community in the younger generations by exposing them to the experiences, while interacting with not only the committee, but receiving mentoring from the Senior members (ages 13-15).
2023-2024 Ambassadors
Hi my name is Lola Van Blaricom, I’m 14 years old and in the eighth grade. This year I am the Senior Queen. This is my 5th year being involved in the Bear Festival ambassador program. I won Junior Queen in 2021 and I still hold that crown. I’m looking forward to one day passing on both the Junior and Senior Queen crowns. I was a junior princess for two years because of Covid. I am the youngest in my family. I have an older brother named Dusti. I have four cats they are named Olaf, Kreacher, Little Psycho, and Bub, and I have one dog named Sam. Outside of Bear Festival and school I do dance. I have danced for the last eleven years. I was very active in Girl Scouts up until I got into middle school. Then I decided I needed to spend more of my time on school. I still go to a Girl Scout summer camp each August where I am currently a PA (program aid), they run the camp. My favorite thing about doing the Bear Festival is meeting new people, developing new friendships, and of course the dance parties. I really enjoy getting to know the community members in McCleary. I have really enjoyed getting to know the firefighters in town. They are some of my favorite people. I have also enjoyed getting to know some of our veterans more. My favorite subject in school is social studies because I like learning about the past and the teacher is one of my favorites. My least favorite subject is science. I also really enjoy being in the band and playing volleyball. The instrument I play is the alto saxophone. I can also play the clarinet. When I get to high school I look forward to being in the performing arts which includes band, choir, competition dance and drill, cheerleading, and drama. I plan on trying out for competition dance and drill, volleyball, and either fall drill or fall cheerleading (I haven’t decided). After high school I want to go to college so I can become a teacher.
Queen Lola
Princess Kaelahni
Hello, my name is Kaelahni McCann. I am 14 years old. I have lived in McCleary for nine years, and this is my second year participating in the Bear Festival. I started high school this year, and I’ve been enjoying it a lot. My all-time favorite class is Spanish. I love all of my teachers and friends, and I think the school itself is pretty great.
I do some extracurricular activities outside of school as well. I’ve been in Girl Scouts for ten years and I’m currently a Senior. I also like to do Archery and have been in the 4H Archery club for six years. I am participating in the Miss Gray's Harbor Teen ambassador program. I’ve been volunteering at the Adopt-a-Pet dog shelter in Shelton, and I really enjoy my time there. If you’re looking for a furry friend and you get the chance, you should visit the shelter sometime. There’s a ton of dogs there that I know would love to find a furrever home.
I have a lot of things I like to do in my freetime. I really enjoy playing video games (as does every other kid) and I’ll often play online with a few of my friends. I also like to put together puzzles, and I’ll usually do the ones that have a lot of pieces. Sometimes I’ll roller skate for fun, too. During the summertime, I’ll go swimming and camping with my family.
In my future, I want to be a participant in helping cause change. I want to bring awareness to real world problems so that they can be solved. Even if I can’t make a big change, I’d still do my best to do whatever I can to help.
Princess Annie
Hi I'm Annie. I am in 7th grade and go to Elma middle school. I competed in cross country this year and went undefeated. It was hard work. Other things I enjoy are Dr. Pepper and creative arts like painting and making tie blankets.
I look forward to increasing community engagement and supporting our town. I also look forward to meeting our younger community members and attending fun activities with them.
Princess Zoey
I am now a junior princess of the McCleary Bear Festival which has been a dream since I was little and I’m so excited to be part of Bear Festival this year. I just started public school for the first time, so far I love it and I have met many new people and made a lot of friends. I love all my teachers they are the best teachers I have ever had in my life by far. I joined the volleyball team, and I loved it and can’t wait to play next year. I have been a girl scout for about six years, and I have been a top cookie seller three times. I am now a cadette in girl scouts. I have four rescue pitbull mix dogs at home. I live with many pets such as dogs, fish, a turtle and axolotls. I have a little sister who is in third grade and is turning nine this year. We like to spend time in the woods hiking, target shooting, camping, gathering mushrooms, or just driving around. All my family was very excited when I applied for Bear Fest and can’t wait to see me in Bear Festival and other parades this summer.