Fat Bear Week Returns for 2025 Competition

Quick Smiles:

• Fat Bear Week celebrates its 11th year with global fanfare.
• This year promises the fattest bears yet, thanks to a salmon surplus.
• Fans worldwide can vote and watch live as bears bulk up in Alaska.

Fat Bear Week is back to entertain and inspire, marking its 11th year as viewers around the globe tune in to the delightfully chubby competitors of Katmai National Park.

Starting as a single-day event in 2014, this friendly competition now spans a week, allowing fans to watch and vote as bears feast on salmon to prepare for winter.

Over one million votes were cast last year, showing just how beloved Fat Bear Week is for people in more than 100 countries.

This year, Naomi Boak shared

“The park has more salmon than ever,”

promising record bear sizes for the contest.

The event launches on September 23 and runs through September 30, with the competitors being announced the day before, giving fans time to prepare their brackets.

Bears are selected based on their visible transformation and photo documentation, ensuring every contender has a unique story to follow.

Last year’s champion, Grazer, made history as the first female and first mother bear to win consecutive titles, while her cub, 128 Jr, took home the crown for Fat Bear Jr. 2025.

To join the fun, viewers can watch bears live at Brooks Falls through Explore.org’s stream and vote for their favorites on the Fat Bear Week website.

Votes are limited to one per email, and the bear with the highest tally advances until a winner is crowned on September 30.

Be part of Fat Bear Week’s warm and wild adventure—celebrate nature, cheer for your favorite bear, and enjoy the spirit of friendly competition!

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