How a family fun run became a year-on-year growth story.
Every May, something slightly magical happens at Rundle Park in Edmonton, Alberta. Families pull on their trainers, strap kids into strollers, and head out for a 5 km fun run/walk/roll in support of the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation. Teddy bears are handed out to top fundraisers and the Dairy Queen vouchers flow. This is Teddy Bear Fun Fest.
The 2026 edition brought together 1,728 participants, raised more than $355k against their $240k goal.
The Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation runs one of Canada's leading children's health charities, supporting world-class care for kids across Alberta and beyond. Teddy Bear Fun Fest is their flagship peer-to-peer event, and it has earned that title. Here is what we love about it.
The ticker that makes you feel like you are a part of something
Open the homepage and the first thing you see—before the headline, before the stats—is a community building in real time. Real names, real profile links, popping up every few seconds.
A ladder with a rung for every fundraiser
Most events design their incentives for top fundraisers. Teddy Bear Fun Fest builds a ladder with six rungs, and the first one sits at $20.
A Dairy Queen Blizzard at $20. A limited-edition teddy bear at $75. A gift certificate at $350. And for every $200 raised at any level, an entry into the Homes by Avi playhouse draw.
That rolling draw is the clever bit. There is always a reason to chase the next donation—for the first-year fundraiser at $25 and the committed multi-year entrant at $750. Nobody feels like the goal was built for someone else.
The cubs have their own race
The Cub Challenge gives junior participants their own fundraising track. Every $15 raised earns a Nintendo Switch draw entry.
When a child has their own goal, separate from their parents', the family dynamic shifts. Mum might be chasing a teddy bear. The seven-year-old is chasing a Nintendo Switch. Suddenly everyone has a reason to knock on the neighbour's door to fundraise.
Philanthropic habits are built early, and this campaign invites the next generation to learn the basics of fundraising, to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and experience the reward of it too.
The voice that never breaks character
The fundraising tips page is a five-step guide. Step five is 'Cele-BEAR-ate.' The copy warns fundraisers not to worry if supporters 'get GRIZZLY'—because 'it takes three to seven reminders for the average bear.'
Their commitment to a personality that runs through every touchpoint, from the homepage to the FAQ to the nine pre-sized social graphics you can download and post in under a minute.
The staggered start times say the same thing without saying it: runners at 10am, walkers at 10:10, rollers and strollers at 10:15. No values statement needed. Every one is welcome, and the language reflects that.
The takeaway
Teddy Bear Fun Fest has nearly doubled its participant base in four years and more than doubled its total revenue—without losing an ounce of the warmth that makes it worth showing up for. That is the result of designing an event where every participant, every child, and every first-time fundraiser feels like the experience was built with them in mind.
The live registration ticker keeps the community visible. The incentive ladder keeps motivation alive at every giving level. The Cub Challenge brings the next generation in as active fundraisers. And the bear-themed copy holds it all together with a personality so consistent it feels like a person, not a template.
Warmth and growth are not in tension. A community that feels genuinely celebrated will keep coming back, and keep bringing people with them.
Want to dive deeper into personalizing the fundraising experience?
We unpacked the full Teddy Bear Fun Fest campaign—how it works, what makes it tick, and how the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation built something that engages fundraisers one-on-one, even the littlest members of the family.
