The annual, public-voted tournament runs Sept. 22–29. Voters compare late-spring and late-summer photos to judge which bears packed on the most weight ahead of hibernation.
Fat Bear Week runs Sept. 22–29 and uses a single-elimination bracket where the public votes on before-and-after photos.
Park officials report an unusually large number of cubs this year, signaling a strong new generation of contenders.
# Week is and how it works Fat Bear Week is an annual online contest that pits the chunkiest brown bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve against one another in a bracket-style, single-elimination tournament. The 2026 event begins on Sept. 22 (the first day of fall) and runs through Sept. 29. Members of the public vote each day to advance the bear they think gained the most weight over the summer.
# Who's competing this year This year's field includes 16 bears that call Katmai home. The lineup features five families, two subadults, four single adult females and five adult males. Reigning champion Chunk (Bear 32), estimated at roughly 1,200 pounds last year, is back to defend the title.
Park staff point out that several well-known bears and offspring of former champions are among the contenders. The participants are commonly seen at Brooks Falls where salmon runs provide the calories needed for fattening. Streams and webcams broadcast the bears during the week so viewers can watch feeding, fishing and resting.
# What's new this year Park Superintendent Mark Sturm said, "There are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time. A new generation of fat bears is taking shape, and they're off to a strong start." That increase in cubs means the tournament's younger entries are beefed up compared with recent years, giving the bracket a noticeably juvenile energy alongside the veteran heavyweights.
# How to watch and vote
# Why it matters to the bears and viewers The contest highlights the seasonal importance of feeding success for brown bears. Fattening up before hibernation is essential to a bear's survival and reproductive success. For viewers, the event offers an accessible way to observe bear behavior and population dynamics in Katmai without visiting the park.
# Quick practical points
Fat Bear Week combines public engagement, live wildlife viewing and a clear metric—weight gain between seasons—to create a simple, bracket-driven event that draws large international attention to Katmai's brown bears.
Sixteen bears are facing off in Fat Bear Week 2026, the highly anticipated tournament among the chunkiest bears at the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — After a summer spent packing away sockeye salmon, Alaska’s heftiest brown bears are ready to throw their weight around. Online voting began Tuesday for Fat Bear Week, the annual contest that pits the rotund residents of Katmai National Park and Preserve against each other for the title of most
Fat Bear Week, the annual online contest everyone loves, has returned to Katmai National Park in Alaska.
Brown bears on the Alaska Peninsula are getting ready for hibernation, but not before they compete in a popular online contest. Fat Bear Week has arrived, pinning 16 contenders against one another in a battle of brawn and bulk. The reigning champion , 32 Chunk, is looking to go back-to-back, but it will have tough comp
Backpack outweighed 16 beefed up bears from five bear families, who call Alaska’s Katmai National Park home, to secure the ultimate prize.
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