News

Bear auction will end on Oct. 25 with downtown celebration

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 22, 2025

The public is invited to a downtown celebration on Saturday, October 25, marking the end of the auction for the 2025 Bearfootin’ Art Walk bears.

The celebration will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Historic Courthouse Square on Main Street. Attendees and bidders will meet the bears and artists while enjoying live music, according to a press release from the City of Hendersonville.
While there will not be voice call bidding at the event, attendees will be able to bid live via cell phone and can ask for setup assistance at a designated registration table.
Bidding for the 2025 Bearfootin’ Art Walk bears ends at 6 p.m.
Applications for a 2026 bear will be open Monday, October 27 through Sunday, November 2, the city said.
Bear sponsorship applications will be accepted for one week in order to allow for complete applications to be submitted. If there are more than 20 applicants, sponsors will be accepted by random lottery.
Directions for bidding on a 2025 bear include:
• Visit: https://www.accelevents.com/e/bearauction25 or downtownhendersonville.org.
• Select bear and click "bid now.”
• Bidders will enter name, cell phone, credit card, email address and mailing address.
• Bidders will make their desired bids, with a minimum bid of $100. A “buy it now” price is available for $10,000 and will automatically charge credit cards. The Buy It Now option ends on Thursday, October 23 at 5pm.
• The auction software will send a text confirmation of bids and a notification if outbid.
• On the final day of the auction bidders will have until 6 p.m. to win their bear. NEW THIS YEAR: All bidders will have the opportunity to outbid after the auction ends at 6 p.m. Bidders all have 3 minutes to continue to outbid each other. Each bear auction will close after there are no new bids within the 3-minute bidding time period.