It’s been a few years since I have written about a favorite Alaskan event – Fat Bear Week. Starting tomorrow, September 22, the voting begins on Explore.com website by clicking here. It’s a fun competition where anyone can vote for the fattest bear of the year. Some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Brown bears get fat to survive. Fat Bear Week is an annual tournament celebrating their success in preparation for winter hibernation

It’s an easy single elimination competition with a printable bracket that you can download and fill out. I need to do that before the voting begins on Tuesday because it is a nice distraction from my life of trying to sell the house right now.

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This year the contenders are the following:

. Bear Families (Mothers & Cubs)

• Bear 132: A first-time Fat Bear Week competitor, though she is one of the largest and most experienced mamas on the river, competing alongside her three spring cubs.
• Bear 284 (Electra): A highly protective mother with a prominent shoulder hump, competing with her two spring cubs.
• Bear 610: A small adult female with a long muzzle making her tournament debut alongside her two spring cubs. 
• Bear 806: Raising a highly unique family this year consisting of one spring cub and one adopted 2.5-year-old cub (affectionately nicknamed “Biggie”).
• Bear 901: A medium-sized female with golden-to-grizzled fur, competing with her single spring cub. 

2. Single Adult Females

• Bear 131: A 9-year-old bear historically nicknamed “Marshmallow” for her fluffy coat.
• Bear 428 (Studious): The daughter of two-time champion 128 Grazer, recognized by her distinctive blond ears.
• Bear 909: A resilient mother who, despite losing her spring cubs early this season, successfully focused entirely on building her own winter fat reserves.
• Bear 910: The daughter of former champion 409 Beadnose, known for her frequent “head-lifts” at the falls. 

3. Sub-Adults

• Bear 620: A young bear who grew up in an unusual communal family group alongside her mother (910) and aunt (909).
• Bear 694: A developing youngster testing the waters against the river’s larger heavyweights.

4. Adult Males (The Heavyweights)

• Bear 32 (Chunk): The returning 2025 defending champion, known for his massive low-hanging belly and incredible resilience.
• Bear 89 (Backpack): A large adult male who earned his nickname as a cub by riding around on the back of his famous mother, Holly.
• Bear 151 (Walker): A massive, dark-fleshed Brooks River regular who has transitioned from an easygoing youth into a dominant force on the river.
• Bear 164 (Bucky Dent): A young upstart and ace fisher-bear with unique, dark markings around his eyes.
• Bear 903 (Gully): An offspring of Grazer, known for his signature “Eeyore-like” sitting posture and an appetite for both salmon and gulls

Pictures and videos of all the bears can be found online and the Explore.com site has tons of videos and information about the bears and anything you would care to know about the competition. What a fun thing.

So who is my favorite? I have yet to decide but Chunk is a top contender. What about you? Who do you want to win? Let me know in the comments.