Every autumn, as Alaska’s Katmai National Park prepares for the long, frozen winter ahead, one of the most beloved public wildlife competitions returns: Fat Bear Week. Now a global cultural phenomenon that draws millions of voters each year, the 2025 edition of the iconic contest is scheduled to run from September 22 through September 29, organizers at the national park have officially confirmed.
The core premise of the fan-favorite event is simple yet captivating: participants and wildlife lovers around the world cast their votes online to select which of Katmai’s famous brown bears has packed on the most fat in preparation for months of hibernation. For these massive Alaskan predators, bulking up is far more than a trivial competition — it is a matter of survival. Brown bears rely on thick layers of adipose tissue to sustain them through up to six months of sleeping and fasting through Alaska’s harsh, snow-covered winters, when food becomes entirely unavailable.
What began as a small local celebration of the park’s thriving brown bear population has grown into a global viral event, turning individual bears into household names for wildlife enthusiasts and casual audiences alike. The online format means anyone, regardless of where they live, can follow the progress of their favorite bears through live webcams set up around the park’s salmon-rich rivers, then cast their vote to support the bear they think has done the best job packing on pounds ahead of hibernation.
Park officials note that beyond the fun of the competition, Fat Bear Week also serves an important educational purpose: it raises public awareness about brown bear ecology, the health of Katmai’s ecosystem, and the role of protected wilderness in supporting vulnerable wildlife populations. As the 2025 contest approaches, excitement is already building among returning fans and first-time voters alike, who are gearing up to follow the bears’ final feeding frenzy and pick their winner.