ALASKA, USA — The bears are back, and they are absolutely massive. Alaska's Brooks River is once again hosting nature's most delightfully chunky competition as Fat Bear Week returns for its 11th year from September 23-30, 2025.

This beloved single-elimination tournament invites the world to vote for the fattest, most successful brown bear at Katmai National Park . And when it comes to these magnificent creatures, bigger truly is better; the plumper the bear, the better their chances of surviving Alaska's brutal winter hibernation.

Credit: Fat Bear Week

What started as a quirky one-day event with just 1,700 votes in 2014 has grown into a global phenomenon. Last year's competition drew an astounding 1.2 million votes from over 100 countries, proving that the internet's appetite for ad

See Full Page