Best Bear Events Around The World – 2019
Following on from our hugely popular guide to the best bear bars, this time we’re naming our best bear events! Now, I know that this will be contentious, cause huge debate, and maybe we’ll offend someone, but that’s where the comments section comes in, you can have your say!
So, in no particular order, these are our favorite bear events around the world, don’t forget to let us know if we’ve missed your favorite in the comments section.
Bear Week Provincetown – Provincetown, USA
This is one of the most well known bear weeks in the world attracting tens of thousands of men and featuring dozens of dance parties, pool parties and shows over the week.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Cologne Bear Pride – Cologne, Germany
Cologne Bear Pride is one of the longest running and most attended bear events in Europe. The event takes place on the last week in November and can make for the perfect pre-Christmas escape as the Cologne Christmas Markets also open that weekend where you can munch on marzipan and gingerbread and knock back warming glasses of gluhwein – German mulled wine.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
North American Bear – Lexington, Kentucky, USA
NAB Weekend recognizes the talented men across the USA who have won local/state/regional bear/leather/bar titles – granting an opportunity for those title holders to gain international recognition & praise within the community. NAB Weekend has a 4-day, action-packed schedule of fun activities, entertainment, dance parties, pool parties, concerts, lots of food, drinks, vendors, and more…
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
World Bear Weekend – various locations
World Bear Weekend is the global Bear contest that crowns Mister, Cub and Ms titles, as well as Mr Kilt International. The weekend is a great fundraiser held first in Kentucky and will be in Cincinnati for 2019. The entrants to the contests come from winners of other bear titles globally, so this is the peak of bear pageantry.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
International Bear Convergence – Palm Springs, California, USA
International Bear Convergence (IBC) is the premier winter event for Bears & admirers in Palm Springs, California. This desert oasis opens its arms and welcomes you to the hip Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs to thousands of frisky, furry bears, their friends & their fans.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Bear Scot Fest – Edinburgh, Scotland
Bear Scot Fest is one of the UK’s most popular bear weekends, held in the beautifully historic city of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Texas Bear Round-up – Dallas, Texas, USA
The Dallas Bears’ Texas Bear Round-Up began circa 1995 with a hand full of Dallas Bears members coordinating their first event. Each year TBRU has grown in numbers and in purpose. Once a small friendly bear, TBRU has grown into a large Bear family reunion and fundraiser.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Bear Feile – Dublin, Ireland
Ireland’s biggest and best bear event takes place in Dublin each March. Bear Feile is a great mix of fun, fur and good old Irish hospitality with four days of parties and events including the Mr Bear Ireland competition.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Fire Island Bear Weekend – Fire Island, New York, USA
Each June beards, bears, cubs and admirers invade the gay destination that is Fire Island for a weekend of drinks, dance parties and the Mr Fire Island Bear Contest!
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Fierte Ours – Paris, France
Fierté Ours Bear Pride is France’s answer to Europe’s growing number of bear festivals. In the ‘City of Lights’ – the festival includes the election of ‘Monsieur Ours’ (Mr Bear), as well as a number of parties, dinners, brunches and drinks at various bars, restaurants and saunas throughout the city.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Bears, Bikers & Mayhem – Pennsylvania, USA
Bears, Bikers & Mayhem claims to be the first all-inclusive event that includes Bears, Leather Men, Motorcycle enthusiasts, lovers of Fetish/Kink, Puppies and more. Growing every year in activities and attendance, BBM was created to bring all of these separate communities together celebrating each group’s unique interests and perspectives as well as the brotherhood we all share in common.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Brighton Bear Weekend – Brighton, England
Bright Bear Weekend is an annual event for bears, cubs and their friends is held in sunny Brighton on the south coast of the UK.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Urban Bear Weekend – New York City, USA
Urban Bear Weekend sees NYC taken over by thousands of bears in one of the biggest city-based bear weekends in the world! The weekend features a number of parties around New York City, including a river cruise, with everything finishing off with the main event, a huge street party in the heart of NYC!
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Sitges Bear Week – Sitges, Spain
Sitges Bears week in September is one of the biggest and most popular Bear festivals in Europe attracting more than 5,000 visitors, bears, admirers, chasers, muscle bears and more. The “Bear Village” may be on the paseo, but the bears are everywhere – Sitges is transformed into a bear heaven for 12+ days.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Key West Bear Weekend – Key West, Florida, USA
Key West Bear Weekend is where the bears gather to play in paradise! The famous Island House Resort hosts this amazing weekend of furry fun on the paradise gay island of Key West.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
Bears On Ice – Reykjavik, Iceland
This four day men only event for bears and their gay, bi and trans friends from all around the world and is a great opportunity to see a little bit of Iceland and Iceland’s small and friendly bear scene.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
BeefDip – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Celebrated for almost 15 years, BeefDip is one of the most interesting bear weeks in the world. Eight days of activities including pool parties, clubbing, karaoke, and surprise performances, set in one of the most beautiful places in the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta.
Check out their website for more information and follow them on Facebook.
I would like to know, when taking pictures for these events their always seems to be a sea of white and that 1 black person. It’s like a bad version of where’s waldo.
Most bear pictures and events are like that.
I’ve always notuce at these events that there is always the click f@#s and you can see the others (well everybody else). They seems to be disconnected from the group. Why not have some type of introduction gathering so no one feels left out ( trust me their are quite a few there that feel this way).
Bear Feile is not what they say it is. The few times that i went i had no ideal as too who is who all i known was that i was at a bear event in ireland and i felt like i wasted my money.
Well I think the friendliest bear event Lisbon bear pride was not mentioned.
A small event but so much friendlier than the big overcrowded and expensive events
Check it out http://www.lisbonbearpride.com
Have anyone heard about gaybear festival in Istanboul? why isn’t it mention???
I was at a great BearWeekend in Leipzig (Germany) last year. That was marvelous there! Lovely people – fabulous program and a wonderful party! Check it out! (www.bearparty.de)
Outstanding
Bear Essentials in Sydney should make the list. It runs at the same time as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival and involves beach days, dance parties (including Underbear), a pool party and other events. It’s fun and friendly. Hosted by the Harbour City Bears.
You left out Bear Carnival in Gran Canaria. https://www.bearcarnival.com/ You get a mix of every culture, friendly and inclusive!.. The organiser even gave my hubby his jacket because he was cold on an excursion!.. Cannot recommend it highly enough!
If you havent been try it! It will be first on your list for next year!