March of the Teddy Bears - Kansas City 2002 - President Theodore Roosevelt, portrayed by Mark Heuertz of Independence, MO adjusts the glasses of Theo, one of 150 life size teddy bear sculptures on display in Kansas City. (PRNewsFoto)

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 23 -- The bumper crop in the heartland this year is teddy bears. That's right -- 150 frocked, life-size teddy bear art sculptures are on display all over Kansas City. Year long events are planned combining presidential history; local creativity; nostalgia -- all with a heaping helping of family-style fun making Kansas City the destination of choice for domestic travel this year.

The March of the Teddy Bears -- Kansas City 2002, is the main event of the centennial celebration of the teddy bear. This public art collection of costumed teddy bears is based on designs selected from hundreds of entries from local students, amateur and professional artists. Imagine a "Beary" princess, a "Bear-atone Bear" or even a "Bearied Treasure" bear. See http://www.marchoftheteddybears.com.

"Kansas City is the only major US city honoring the 100th birthday of everyone's childhood friend, the teddy bear," says Kansas City Mayor, Kay Barnes.

The four-foot sitting bear and the 6-foot tall standing bear are to be grouped in clusters known as "dens," and displayed in parks, shopping centers and historic areas July through September 2002 with related events nearly every week.

In October, the bears are auctioned with the proceeds benefiting two local causes: The Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City and Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. The teddies will bid fond "bear-well" following a second-stage winter holiday display in November and December.

The March of the Teddy Bears event is bringing together thousands of teddy bear lovers worldwide including the Teddy Bear Jubilee Convention, sponsored by Kansas City's Toy and Miniature Museum, hosted in July.

Year round celebration-related events include: "bear spotting" tours, bear themed birthday parties, artist appreciation events, special teddy bear exhibits, maps to seek bears out at favorite Kansas City settings; a live auction of teddy bears on October 5th, 2002 and an Internet auction starting October 6th of more bears.

The origination of the name of our ol' stuffed and fluffed pal came from a story that happened one hundred years ago. A political cartoonist depicted President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot an injured and suffering bear on one of his bear hunt excursions. After the cartoon appeared in newspapers, toy makers began calling stuffed toy bears "Teddy's bears." The phrase caught on and the classic toy was forever dubbed teddy bear.