The Sixth Generation of Grateful Dead Bean Bears and Friend were released mid September, 2000. This set has 8 bears and 1 purple turtle. The Fifth Generation of Grateful Dead Bean Bears and Friend were released the first week of March, 2000. Pictures of these bears are loaded on our Fourth Generation and Friend web site and the Special Edition web site listed in Our Further Links Section. These are the first bears limited to 25,000 in the new bear style with longer arms and a tongue. Paul Roidoulis, President of Liquid Blue has signed his name within the pattern. Poppa Bear is the colors used in the Liquid Blue Logo. Both have a special 'backstage' style numbered pass and both are limited to 25,000 each. They were available the first week of December, 1999. The pass is not numbered.Īnnounced November 13, 1999: Release of one Signature Bear (Poppa Bear) and a Limited Edition Bear (Wharf Rat). The Special Edition Bear called All Access was released October 21, 1999. Each has his own 'backstage numbered pass' and is limited to 25,000 each. Two Limited Bears, Touch of Grey and Casey Jones were released October 21, 1999. Release date for Father Time and Terrapin was November 30, 1999. This set of 10 bears will include their friend.

Nine bears from the Fourth Generation were released November 1, 1999. The other 11 bears get their name from a character or theme in a Ronald 'Pigpen' McKernan who died on March 8th 1973 at the age of 27. The Third Generation was released in mid May 1999. Black Peter was the first of the limited edition bears. Information tag comes a Numbered Backstage Pass. He is all black with a black Jester Collar. Peter is Limited with a total production of only 30,000. Hang tag is larger and includes the Liquid Blue logo and a upc code.īlack Peter: This Grateful Dead Bean Bear was released on Novemberģ0, 1998. Name from a character or theme in a Grateful Dead song. Jerry theīear is in tribute to Jerry Garcia. Ten features Jerry, a gray tie-dye with a black t-shirt. Grateful Dead Bean Bears were released in September 1998. More of the non-retired bears from the first generation, they all Liquid Blue announced the retirement of the 5 bears, Sugaree had alreadyīeen sold out during the first week of June. Paws, and (11,000) without the Black Paws. The five and their world wide production numbers are.ALTHEA Each Bear comes with a laminatedįull-color tag with the Bear's name, The Bear's birth data (from a Grateful Dead show date and venue),Īnd a 'Favorite Tour Memory' (story of fact and fiction on the road withīears from the group of 11 were going to be retired. The First Generation Set of 11 includes: 3 Tie-Dye,Ħ Solid Colors and 2 Animal Patterns. All of the Bean Bears are designed and created by Liquid Blue. In August of 1997 the Grateful Dead Bean Bears were born. A little later the tide shifted to plush bears being designed and manufactured by Liquid Blue. At that time one of the main design manufactures was Native Art Trading Company. The first Grateful Dead plush bear came to life in 1990. However, we must remember the Grateful Dead were good friends with the Merry Prankesters. What has now become the 'jester collar' on the 'dancing bears' was actually the chest fur of Bob's marching bears. Bob's inspiration for the bear came from a 36 point lead slug of a generic bear that was a standardised figure from a printer's font box. The back cover of History of the Grateful Dead, vol 1 (Bear's Choice)(recorded Feb 13 and 14, 1970) showed multi-colored marching bears. The origin of the bear was taken from the Bob Thomas album art cover. Over the years these bears have appeared on multi-colored bumper stickers, T-Shirts and posters. The dancing bears symbolized the fun-loving aspect of the Grateful Dead and theirįans. Please check out our Further Links Section at the bottm of the page

Grateful dead dancing bears pins