BWM’s Exclusive Recap of Bear Pride Poland

The current reigning Mr. LibonBearPride, Alex Fortes, returns to recap his experience at Bear Pride Poland which took place from October 17 through October 20 in Poznań.

Before coming with me on this journey, let’s get something out of the way first: I’m an ignoramus. Maybe you are too. Heck, we all are sometimes, nothing wrong with that as long as we admit it. That gives us room to learn! Personally, I find learning exciting and gratifying, and this journey was one of those cases.

I barely knew anything about Poland. Just the tidbits I learned in school – basically, its role in WWII and its past as a Soviet-aligned country. Despite a sizable Polish community in the UK, my exposure to Polish culture had been limited. Sure, I’d tasted more than a few Polish snacks at my local supermarket (thanks for those!). But the first time Poland really got on my radar was the news coverage around the “LGBT-free zones” created in some conservative and right-wing regions in 2019 and 2020. And, as a self-professed ignoramus outsider, you could learn more about the situation or… add Poland to your holidays “no-go” list. Plenty of other places to go, right? Sadly, I chose the latter and ignored it.

But if I learned something travelling and meeting bears all over is that all it takes is the right conversation and an open… mind to shift your perspective. That’s what happened when I met Bears of Poland (well, some of them, at least!) recently at Brussels Bear Pride. And they sparked my curiosity. As soon as I got back home, I booked flights and a hotel for Bear Pride Poland, which would take place less than two weeks later. And when they heard I’d be there, they invited me to be a judge in their Mr. Bear 2025 competition – something I’m truly grateful for. It was already shaping up to be a unique experience!

The event takes place in Poznań, in western Poland – the country’s fifth-largest city. Maybe you’d expect the Mr. Bear Poland competition to be held in the capital, or at least one of the bigger cities, but not only is Poznań a beautiful cultural hub with a lot to see, I’ve been told it’s also the place where the Polish bears elected their first Mr. Bear back in 2009, even before the Bears of Poland association was fully formed and organizing it, and it has been taking place there every year since.

The weekend kicked off early, starting Thursday at Q HAH Cocktail Bar, where people got their first chance to meet the candidates. Sadly, I had to miss this, but other Misters told me the bears took over the place and it was full of fun and hugs.

Friday’s first event was at Sauna Amigo. I heard it was busy in the best of ways and the Polish bears were very welcoming as well, but I was still stuck on a plane! Thankfully, Poznań airport is small and easy to navigate, and it’s a short, affordable ride to the city center by Uber or Bolt (we also had a good experience with all drivers). We got there in time for the next event – the 7^th anniversary of reFForm, a local fetish store and one of the weekend’s sponsors. We picked up our wristbands (along with some discounts and info), enjoyed some refreshments and a drag show by Lagoona Aqua Pussy, and even witnessed a marriage proposal! I got to meet some candidates, too, and things were looking tough for the competition.

Later that evening, we headed to the HAH (Heaven and Hell) Art and Music Club for the first night of the election. Poznań alone is worth visiting just for this club! From the outside, you’d never imagine the massive maze of rooms hiding underground, each with different music – they even have a karaoke area and a men-only cruising bar. The building used to be a brewery before flooding, then it was sold and converted into a club, and restoring room by room, the place just keeps getting bigger. They also have a foundation called Red Flamingo supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Bear Pride Poland took two of those rooms: one with plenty of space for the stage, dancing floor, bar, and bear market (where my partner and I bought some Bears of Poland merch, and eyed some singlets from Kinky Locked that we ordered later on their website), and another room full of tables and sitting space, with screens to not miss the stage action, as well as a HIV testing station set up by the Polish Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The competition itself was pretty relaxed that night, with the candidates being introduced and performing together on stage. Things got emotional when Mr. Bear and Vice Mr. Bear Poland 2024 returned their sashes, which would hang onstage overnight awaiting the next titleholders, and passing on the legacy this way. But their previous bearers received in exchange leather vests stating their outgoing titles as keepsakes.

On Saturday, the bears reunited for lunch at Pierożek i kompocik, a traditional restaurant ideal for sampling pierogi, boiled or fried, a Polish dumpling with either savory or sweet fillings, typically served with fried onions, bacon, herbs, and sour cream on the side. Speaking of food, you also have to try Poland’s traditional “rogale marcińskie”, large, dense croissants filled with a sweet mix of ground poppy seeds, nuts, raisins, and sometimes marzipan or fruit preserves. Now, if you excuse me, I need a break from writing to hunt down the nearest Polish store – I’ve got the cravings!

What to do on a Saturday afternoon to unwind? How about a film? Bears of Poland scored us a free screening of “A Big Hairy Hit! Where The Bears Are: The Documentary” by Eduardo Aquino, courtesy of 3 Bears Entertainment.

At 22:00, we returned to HAH for the second and final night of the Mr. Bear Poland competition. Shoutout to our amazing hosts for the evening, Damian and Wiktor, who delivered a classic Eurovision vibe by presenting the event in both Polish and English. Even the way they announced the opening and closing of voting time gave a true festival feel! On top of that, Wiktor doubled down assisting his partner Krzysiek (Vice Mr. Bear Poland 2024) in an impressive fire-dancing performance. And to keep the heat up, we also had a couple of very suggestive strip dances by Kriss Wolf.

But the highlight of the night was, of course, the competition. First, our three contestants answered a series of randomly selected questions, ranging from fun topics to issues impacting the community. Both questions and answers were translated to English, so guests with no knowledge of Polish didn’t miss a thing. Afterward, it was time for the individual performances, and they couldn’t be more varied – everything from dancing to Disney themes to singing country soft rock. They all put a show to be proud of, but only one could take home the title: Bartek (Bartłomiej Struss) became Mr. Bear Poland 2025, with Mateusz Sobiecki as Vice Mr. Bear.

What I learned in the end is that Poland, and Poznań in particular, has so much to offer. Beautiful places to explore, great food and a stellar club experience, for sure! But also a vibrant bear community making strides in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. If you are looking to show support, check out the Bears of Poland’s work and sign the petition to help push for civil partnerships for same-sex couples that Marcin Jabłonkowski, previous Mr. Bear Poland and current Mr. Bear Europe has organized. You can also become a member for a low fee – my partner and I just did! Or come to Poznań next June (11-13) to support them on another big challenge, hosting the Mr. Bear Europe 2025 competition, and experience firsthand how a community is growing stronger together. I already booked my holidays, so I hope to see you there!