Celebrating 40 Years of The Raccoons and Introducing our First Official Raccoons Website!
- Kevin Gillis
- Nov 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 14, 2025
Hello Friends,
It’s hard for me to believe that forty years have passed since The Raccoons series first scampered into living rooms on November 11, 1985. What began as a small idea — a group of furry friends trying to do the right thing in their little corner of the Evergreen Forest — somehow grew into a series that reached audiences around the world.
This year marks a special milestone for us, and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than by welcoming you to The First Official Raccoons website — a new home for our community, to be filled with stories, memories, and a few surprises along the way.
When we first started The Raccoons, we wanted to tell stories about friendship, perseverance, care for our environment and standing up for what’s right — with a little mischief, a lot of heart, and, of course, the occasional tussle with Cyril Sneer. Over the years, it’s been incredible to see how those messages still resonate. Whether it was Bert’s unwavering optimism, Melissa’s wisdom, Ralph’s crusade to protect the environment, or Cedric’s courage to challenge his father, these characters reminded us that even the smallest voices can make a big difference.
I still remember the first time we recorded “Run With Us.” We knew it was a good song, but none of us imagined that it would become an anthem — not just for the show, but for so many people who grew up watching The Raccoons. It has been recorded by artists and bands and fans the world over. Hearing fans tell me that the song helped them through tough times or inspired them to keep going means more than I can say.
This site is for you — the fans who have kept the Evergreen spirit alive all these years. Here’s what you can look forward to:
Never-before-seen artwork, scripts, and behind-the-scenes stories from the making of The Raccoons
Updates on new projects, partnerships, and anniversary celebrations
A place to share your memories, fan art, music and what The Raccoons has meant to you
What’s kept this forest alive for four decades isn’t just the stories we told — it’s You, the community that grew around them. You’ve carried Bert, Ralph, Melissa,Cedric, Sophia TuTu, LIsa, and even Cyril into whole new generations, in multiple languages, and that’s a legacy any creator could only dream of.
So as we celebrate this 40th anniversary, I invite you to join us in revisiting the past, enjoying the present, and running with us into the future.
Do you remember your first Raccoons moment? Share your stories, photos, memories, music, or fan art with us — we would love to feature your story right here on the site or on our official social channels.
Thank You for your friendship and support all these years!
Warm wishes,
Kevin Gillis
Creator of The Raccoons
I’ve been watching this series my whole life and it means as much to me as the write up says. It’s a fine work of Canadian character animation from an era when the art was at its peak, and the artists who animated the series have fairly distinctive drawing styles that you'll notice if you look closely enough. The original songs were always excellent, and the characters charming and dimensional. I can watch the episodes over again and never get tired of them. It has been a gift that has kept on giving for many years now. Thank you, and congratulations on your fortieth anniversary.
I've been liking and loving The Raccoons for the past 4 years since the summer of 2021 when I was 25 years old since I'm an American citizen when the series was aired from July 4th, 1985 (during the 4th of July celebration) to August 28th, 1992, both on CBC Television in Canada and on The Disney Channel in the USA (United States of America). But man, can you believe that it's been 40 years since the series started airing in 1985 and even 45 years since the franchise all started with 4 specials starting in 1980? I wasn't even born yet, until Friday, June 28th, 1996 (which I'm 29 years old now). So, as the honorary of this whole…
I'm glad you could create this website. I don't have anything else to say, so... Happy 40th anniversary to The Raccoons, amazing and timeless masterpiece.
I've been a fan for a long time, so it's really nice to see this come to life! Excited to hear more from Kevin and the gang, signed up for your newsletter too!