Meet Sergi, Mr. Bear Sitges 2024
As always Bears Sitges Week was a phenomenal success and one of the highlight activities from the event is the election of the new Mr. Bear Sitges. We are joined by the reigning champion, Sergi. Get to know a little about him below and if you haven’t already be sure to check out our exclusive Bears Sitges Week recap from attendee and BEM contributor Beltran Horisberger.
BWM: Can you tell us a bit about your background? Including name, where you are from and current city of residency?
Sergi: My name is Sergi, I am 30 years old, and I was born in a small town of 2,000 habitants located in the west of Catalonia, close to Lleida. Nine years ago, I decided to change my life, and I moved to finish my studies in Barcelona, which is where I still live and work as a graphic designer.
BWM: What attracts you to the bear community?
Sergi: What attracts me most about the bear community is how friendly it is. I have to admit that, from the very beginning, I felt accepted. A few years ago, I had problems accepting my body, because I was so hairy and a bit chubby and I was feeling that I didn’t fit in anywhere. I have never felt judged for how I dressed or what my body was like, so I have always felt at ease knowing that I was at home.
BWM: Tell us about your local bear community and some of your favorite places to hang out and events to attend.
Sergi: The bear community in Barcelona, where I live, is small compared to other cities where there is more of a bear presence, such as Madrid or Berlin. However, it has three well-known bear bars and a party that takes place monthly in Barcelona (and during the Bears Meeting or the Bear Week in Sitges), called the POPair Party, which I like to go to whenever I can. One advantage for the bear community in Barcelona is that Sitges is very close by with another bear community of its own and bars like the Bears bar or Parrots, and beaches like Balmins where bears go to refresh in the hottest months. In addition, of course, there is the well-known Bears Week Sitges which we already know about.
BWM: How was your experience competing? What was the process like?
Sergi: My experience during the competition was very pleasant and fun. This year I didn’t initially plan to enter, because I already participated in the previous edition and came in third place, which was a great honor for me. I thought that was enough media exposure, but some friends convinced me because they knew that I had a great time at the Mr. Bear Sitges 2023 competition, so in the end I decided to sign up at the last minute, and my only goal was to repeat the experience and enjoy it.
BWM: What are the responsibilities of being Mr Bear Sitges?
Sergi: To be honest, I’m not sure about that, it’s not written anywhere. I guess I’ll be the visible face of the Bear community in Sitges for at least a year. And I might be a good example for the many people that don’t feel comfortable with their own bodies, that you can get where you want to go no matter what your situation is. From personal experience, years ago, I lived in a remote village in the interior of the country, and I would never have imagined getting to where I am today.
BWM: What are your goals for your title year? Will you attend other events?
Sergi: Honestly, I haven’t set any big goals, I haven’t thought about what events to attend yet. I’ll see how the next few months go. I’d like to go to some big bear events or parties in the USA, because it’s always caught my attention. But I think that for me, it would be easier to attend some bear events at a national level, like the Bear Carnival in Maspalomas or the Madbear in Torremolinos.
BWM: How was this year’s Bear Week Sitges? Why do you like it?
Sergi: In my opinion, the Sitges bear week has always been a lot of fun since I discovered it in 2018, I think it’s a great place to meet up with acquaintances and old friends. I’ve been attending this event for 6 years and this year, for example, has been different. I didn’t have holiday time like in other years, so I only had the option of coming and going to Sitges when I could after work, but I still had a great time. As is the case every year, I attended the POPair BBQ party and nights in the Bear Village, in addition to having some drinks at the bars on “Pecado” Street.
Be sure to follow Sergi, Mr. Bear Sitges 2024 on Instagram @mistersegork
