MumFest in New Bern: Festival Planning Guide
The 2026 festival has ended; future dates and arrangements are not confirmed in this guide.
Start planning here
- Setting
- Downtown New Bern and the riverfront
- Organizer
- Swiss Bear, in partnership with the City of New Bern
- Next festival
- Dates, hours and travel arrangements await verification
- Looking back
- The October 10–11, 2026 festival has ended
Sources:Official festival FAQ and contact (opens in a new tab)Official MumFest website (opens in a new tab)
MumFest brings music, makers, food and fall flowers to downtown New Bern. This is a starting point for planning a visit, with the organizer’s sources close at hand and a separate record of the 2026 festival.
The 2026 festival has ended. Read our MumFest 2026 archive for historical dates, photos and the arrangements published for that year. Its parking, shuttle and closure details are not instructions for a future visit.
A festival rooted in downtown
Swiss Bear traces the event to the Swiss Bear Festival in 1979, created to draw people back downtown. It became the Chrysanthemum Festival in 1980 and took the MumFest name in the early 1990s. Today, the nonprofit describes the festival as a fundraiser supporting downtown improvements and community initiatives.
Before you choose travel dates
Dates for the next festival are not confirmed in this guide. The October 10–11, 2026 dates belong to the past festival and should not be used to plan another visit.
Start with the official MumFest website (opens in a new tab). Check that the announcement, schedule and festival map all name the year you plan to attend before booking around them.
What to confirm before you go
Treat each year’s arrival plan as a fresh check. A previous festival’s map can help explain the setting, but it cannot establish which streets or parking lots will be available next time.
- Confirm that parking locations, shuttle hours and the last return service apply to your festival year.
- Check the City of New Bern’s notices for dated street closures before choosing a driving route.
- Ask the organizer about accessible parking, shuttle access and any individual access needs before relying on a location.
- Review that year’s rules and costs for activities; do not assume an old admission or ticket offer still applies.
For festival questions, use the organizer’s FAQ and contact details (opens in a new tab).
Source:Official festival FAQ and contact (opens in a new tab)
Make room for the rest of New Bern
Build a flexible trip around a first day in New Bern or a waterfront afternoon. Leave time between stops rather than treating a festival weekend as a fixed itinerary.
Travelling with children? Start with our family day guide. Keep rainy-day ideas and free and low-cost outings as alternatives, or add a first bear walk. Check each attraction’s current hours before setting out.