Fat Bear Week 2026 begins on Tuesday at Alaska’s Katmai National Park, giving wildlife fans around the world the chance to vote for the brown bear judged best prepared for the coming winter. The annual contest runs until Tuesday, September 29, when the champion will be crowned. ([home.nps.gov](https://home.nps.gov/katm/learn/news/fat-bear-week-2026.htm?utm_source=openai))
The competition celebrates the bears’ seasonal transformation as they feast on salmon in the Brooks River and build the fat reserves needed to survive hibernation. The National Park Service said this year’s event features a particularly strong new generation of cubs at Brooks Camp.
Park superintendent Mark Sturm said: “There are more cubs at Brooks Camp this year than have been seen in a long time.” He added that a new generation of fat bears was “taking shape” and preparing for winter in Katmai’s ecosystem. ([home.nps.gov](https://home.nps.gov/katm/learn/news/fat-bear-week-2026.htm?utm_source=openai))
How to vote in Fat Bear Week 2026
Voting takes place through the Fat Bear Week website, where the public can follow a knockout-style bracket and choose between rival bears. The bracket was revealed on September 18, while voting is scheduled to take place from September 22 to 29, with no weekend voting. ([home.nps.gov](https://home.nps.gov/katm/learn/news/fat-bear-week-2026.htm?utm_source=openai))
Last year’s contest attracted more than 1.7 million votes from over 100 countries, ending with Bear 32, known as “Chunk”, taking the title. Previous champions include 128 “Grazer”, who won in 2024.
The event is run in partnership with the National Park Service, Explore.org and the Katmai Conservancy. Supporters can also watch the bears live through Explore.org’s webcams, including footage from the Brooks River. ([home.nps.gov](https://home.nps.gov/katm/learn/news/fat-bear-week-2026.htm?utm_source=openai))
The Department of the Interior has once again offered fans a playful vocabulary guide for the competition, featuring descriptions such as “hefty”, “wide load”, “mega chonk” and “winter-ready”. Its social media message ended with the warning: “Study up. There will be a test.”
For the bears, the contest reflects more than appearance. The salmon run provides the food they need to gain weight before winter, when they rely on stored fat while sheltering in their dens. Katmai’s bears can lose a substantial proportion of their body weight during that period. ([nps.gov](https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/nature/fat-bear-week-past-and-present.htm?utm_source=openai))
