A Year of Global Bear Travel
What the most innovative bear event guide taught us about our travelling community
Twelve months ago, My Bear Holiday launched with a bold goal: to become the world’s most comprehensive guide to bear-centric travel. No more scrolling through hookup apps, filtering irrelevant Pride listings, or missing out because you didn’t hear about that amazing bear run until it was too late.
A year later, the results are in. And they’re more surprising (and furrier) than expected.
The bear travel boom
How many bear runs and destinations can you name by heart? We bet they are not more than 10. However, The My Bear Holiday database, updated with the help of AI and crowd-sourced contributions, currently tracks nearly 100 multi-day bear events worldwide. This includes classic bear weeks, weekend getaways, cruise adventures, and rural retreats—everything that’s worth packing a bag for. Here’s what we’ve learned from analyzing a year of global bear runs:
Here’s what we’ve learned from analyzing a year of global bear runs:
● America is no longer the only bear destination! At the time of writing, some whopping 37 upcoming USA-based bear festivals and similar events are listed on My Bear Holiday. The bear culture was born here, and this still pays off, making the USA the leading country. However, Europe as a whole is not a lot behind, with 30 upcoming bear runs listed.
● Spain remains Europe’s bear capital: the “big four” European bear runs (Sitges, Madrid, Torremolinos and Gran Canaria) continue to dominate the scene. But now Germany and the UK are close behind, with a growing number of events drawing regional and international attention.
● The global South is still catching up: Only 3 announced events will take place in the Southern Hemisphere—1 in Brazil and 2 in Australia. Social climate and local LGBT+ visibility still plays a key role in this disparity.
● October is the new peak season: While winter remains relatively quiet, bear events explode in late summer and early fall. October 2025 alone will see 15 different bear runs, meaning one starts almost every two days!
● Cruises are on the rise: Beyond the traditional bear week, bear campsite events and especially bear cruises are booming. My Bear Holiday already lists 23 upcoming sea adventures (both bear-exclusive and bear groups within larger expeditions), withdestinations from Alaska to the Greek Islands.
● Bear weeks are getting longer: Can you imagine a two-week bear week? Well, we’re headed that way! In Spain’s coastal hubs, it’s not rare to see 10- to 12-day programs packed with pool parties, beach takeovers, and themed club nights.
● New territories, new runs: Over the past year, My Bear Holiday has featured first-time bear events in unexpected places: Rio de Janeiro, San Juan, Bangkok, and even a countryside retreat near Pretoria (yes, the first bear run in Africa). These pioneering efforts show the community’s hunger for new destinations though some attempts, like the the now-defunct Greek bear run, remind us that not all efforts take root.
● Sometimes, too many cooks…: Disagreements between organizers and business partners have sometimes led to competing events in the same city. The most extreme case? Puerto Vallarta now hosts three different concurring bear week brands in January—plus two more in November on the same dates!
Evolving With the Community
The My Bear Holiday platform itself has grown significantly in response to user feedback:
● The interface has been fully streamlined. It’s still a progressive web app, meaning no downloads, registering or logins—just smooth private navigation on any device.
● Every search now includes advanced filters and can be visualized in three modes: list view, calendar view, and the unique interactive world map (a first among gay event guides!)
● All bear runs in the World now show their available social media links, apart from their official websites.
● My Bear Holiday’s own social media channels are coming alive from now on, with posts 1–2 weeks before each major event helping users avoid FOMO and plan last-minute escapes. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky for regular updates.
● The platform remains 100% free, non-commercial, and honestly curated. No paid listings. No affiliate links. Just real events, for real bears, with real value.
Why This Matters For travelers, My Bear Holiday means convenience. It’s easier than ever to find the bear event that matches your mood, your calendar, and your vibe—without the frustration of endless Googling or the risk of missing out.
For organizers, it’s a visibility boost and a strategic tool. Want to make sure your new event doesn’t clash with an established one? Need inspiration from successful formats? My Bear Holiday’s free Stats page is your intelligence dashboard.
And for the global bear community, it’s something even bigger: a shared map of joy, connection, and celebration—powered by a growing, supportive network of brothers across borders.
Try it, share It, travel with It, explore upcoming bear runs at www.mybearholiday.com and their social platforms linked above.
My Bear Holiday is proudly built by the same team behind Bear Carnival (Gran Canaria’s international bear week), as a gift to the global bearhood.
