Woven Together

JULY 2026

This July, New Bern's Bears are being transformed into a city-wide public art installation as part of the America's 250th Anniversary celebration. Handmade scarves and cowls created by volunteers from New Bern and beyond will adorn bears throughout the city, creating a colorful expression of creativity, community, and civic pride. The project is organized by the New Bern Yarn Project in partnership with the Craven Arts Council & Gallery.

A yarn bomb is a form of street art that uses knitted, crocheted, woven, or fiber-art creations to temporarily decorate public objects. The project brings together neighbors, artists, knitters, crocheters, businesses, and visitors to celebrate our shared history while creating something beautiful for everyone to enjoy. For New Bern's America250 celebration, the yarn bomb transforms the city's beloved bear statues into a unique public art experience that invites residents and visitors to see familiar landmarks in a new way.

The phrase "Woven Together for 250 Years" represents the larger meaning behind the project. Just as individual strands of yarn are woven together to create something strong and beautiful, communities are built through countless individual contributions, relationships, and shared experiences. For more information on the Woven Together for 250 Years Project, visit cravenarts.org/yb1.