Bear Weeks & Gay Bear Events
Bear Weeks, Beach Days, and Community Meetups: Here you'll find destinations and dates for Bears, Chubs, and their friends.
Bear trips rarely revolve around just a party. Many weeks combine beach, pool, excursions, and evenings at bars or clubs. The crowd is mostly international, ranging from bears and chubs to admirers, otters, and anyone who feels comfortable in a body-positive, casual environment. You don't have to fit a specific type to travel along.
There are some fixed anchors throughout the year. The Bear Carnival brings the scene to Maspalomas in Gran Canaria in March. This is followed in July by Bear Week in Provincetown and Lazy Bear Week in Guerneville, California. At the beginning of September, Bears Sitges Week fills the Catalan coastal town. In addition to these big weeks, cities such as Berlin, Cologne, Madrid and Amsterdam have regular bear evenings and their own groups throughout the year.
Which trip suits you depends more on the setting than on the name. Sitges and Gran Canaria can be easily combined with beach holidays. Provincetown and Guerneville rely on a smaller town setting, daytime events and plenty of community time. For a weekend without a long journey, the dates in major European cities are often more practical. The lists on this page show you which festivals, cruises and destinations currently fit the theme.
Festivals & events
BearPride Cologne
Six days of Bear Community in Cologne: Parties, BearMarket, rally and the election of Mr Bear Germany – hosted by the Bartmänner Cologne.
MAD.BEAR Madrid
One of the largest winter bear events in Spain with a multi-day program of parties, bar route and fetish events.
Bear Carnival Gran Canaria
Eleven days of Bear Week in Maspalomas: pool parties, boat parties and theme nights around the Yumbo Centre, with over 60 dates and more than 3,000 guests.
Lisbon Bear Pride
A week of bear meeting in Lisbon: pool parties at the Hotel Villa 3 Caparica, in the evening theme parties in the bar TR3S and long nights in the Finalmente Clu...
Lazy Bear Week
A week of bear reunion in Guerneville on the Russian River: pool parties, campfires under redwoods and donations for queer health projects.
Already over
The next edition has not been announced yet. The pages stay online with programme and details.
Parties in the coming months
Destinations
Gran Canaria
The sunny island of the Canary Islands with a mild climate all year round and the queer hotspot around Maspalo...
Lisbon
Lisbon combines relaxed queer life in Principe Real with sun and charm.
Madrid
Spain's capital with Chueca, one of the liveliest and proudest gay districts in the world.
Provincetown
The idyllic artists' village at the tip of Cape Cod is completely queer in the summer.
Sitges
Charming Catalan coastal town south of Barcelona, considered one of the gayest small towns in Europe.
Cologne
The liberal Rhine metropolis with one of the largest queer scenes in Germany, the legendary Bermuda Triangle a...
Plan your Bear trip
Start by asking how much program you really want. A Bear Week can consist of pool parties, club nights, shared meals, excursions, and open hangouts. No one has to go along with everything. If you're traveling alone for the first time, events in the afternoon are often more enjoyable than a full dance floor at midnight. It's easier to get into conversation and decide later which evening event is right for you.
Best time to travel and important weeks
For sun in the European spring, Maspalomas is an obvious choice: The Bear Carnival is usually in March. In the North American summer, Provincetown and Guerneville are on the calendar in July. Bears Sitges Week follows in September, when it is usually still warm on the Catalan coast. These months are no guarantee for identical dates next year. Therefore, always check the current program of the organizer before booking.
Outside of the big weeks, a city trip to Berlin, Cologne, Madrid or Amsterdam is worthwhile if you prefer to visit individual bars and parties. The advantage: You are not bound to a festival pass and can combine culture, food and nightlife more freely. For a pronounced holiday week with many guests, Sitges, Maspalomas, Provincetown and Guerneville are usually the more suitable backdrop.
Travel and accommodation
During large Bear Weeks, central rooms are scarce early on. Not only the distance to the main town is decisive, but also the way home at night. Check whether shuttle buses are running, whether taxis are realistically available and how long it takes you to walk. Cheaper accommodation outside can end up being impractical if you have to rely on a transfer every evening.
If you are traveling alone, an official partner hotel can make it easier to get started. Many other guests live there, and some events start directly at the house. If you need peace and quiet, it is better to sleep a few streets away. When it comes to vacation rentals, pay attention to clear rules for additional visitors. Not every accommodation accepts spontaneous guests, and discussions at the reception quickly spoil the evening.
Tickets, Budget and Program
In addition to flights and rooms, plan for passes, individual party tickets, transfers, food, and cloakroom. A total pass is only worthwhile if you want to attend the majority of the events included. For a relaxed vacation, two or three specifically selected tickets are often enough. Popular pool parties and excursions can be sold out; free meetings and open street events, on the other hand, remain accessible spontaneously.
A small cushion helps if weather or program changes make a new plan necessary. Book expensive building blocks that can be canceled if possible and read the conditions of the organizer. Especially for privately organized weeks, return and resale rules differ significantly.
Dress code and handling
Bear does not mean a prescribed body, beard or clothing style. During the day, shorts, shirt and comfortable shoes are usually enough. For theme or fetish evenings, the program states the expected dress code. Don't buy anything just out of the feeling of having to belong. A simple outfit is better than equipment that you feel uncomfortable in.
Body-positive spaces only work with respect. Ask before touching or taking photos, accept a no immediately and do not publish pictures of other guests without consent. Even in a relaxed atmosphere, consensus remains the basis. If an event is only advertised for certain groups, respect the access policy of the organizer.
Safe on the road
Save your address and return route before you go. Take only the essentials with you, keep an eye on your drink and valuables, and arrange a meeting point for groups. Also, find out about local laws and the protection of queer people, especially during stopovers outside of well-known destinations.
The same rules apply to sex as at home: clear agreements, suitable protective means and no assumptions about the status of others. If alcohol or other substances are involved, set limits beforehand. A good Bear trip does not have to be maximally full. Enough sleep and a free afternoon often make the difference between a long week and a good week.