Bear Future
How bears are already making tomorrow better.
Bears Taking Action12
Rainbow Railroad — LGBTQI+ Refugee Safety (Pride Match)
Rainbow Railroad
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQI+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. Since 2006 they have helped over 40,000 individuals find safety through emergency relocation, crisis response, cash assistance, and a
Ends 2026-06-30
Lazy Bear Week 30th Anniversary — Community Grantmaking
Lazy Bear Fund, Inc.
Lazy Bear Fund has raised over $2.5 million for LGBTQIA+ nonprofits since 1995 — all from ticket sales and event proceeds, entirely volunteer-run. Their 30th anniversary Lazy Bear Week runs July 27–August 3 2026 in Guern
Ends 2026-08-03
NAB Cub 2026 — Disability Inclusion in the Bear Community
Jaecub / NAB Cub 2026
NAB Cub 2026 Jaecub was celebrated on the cover of Bear World Magazine for his representation of disability within the bear community. His title year focuses on making bear spaces more accessible and inclusive for people
NAB Weekend — LGBTQ+ Community Fundraising (2012–present)
Kentucky Bourbon Bears / NAB Weekend
North American Bear Weekend donates 100% of profits to LGBTQ+ charities. Since founding in 2012, over $350,000 has been donated. Early years primarily supported Moveable Feast Lexington. 2026 beneficiaries: PFLAG (nation
$350k raised of $350k USD
Ottawa Senior Pride Network — LGBTQ+ Senior Support
Ottawa Senior Pride Network (OSPN)
The Ottawa Senior Pride Network (OSPN) is a volunteer-run network of 2SLGBTQI+ older adults committed to creating safe, affirming seniors' services across Ottawa. Founded 2008. Programs include social spaces, profes
IBC Palm Springs — LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert
LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert (Palm Springs)
IBC Palm Springs donates portions of event proceeds to the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert and AAP/Food Samaritans. IBC 2026 broke all previous attendance records. The Center provides essential services to the Coach
Belgium Bearpride — Community Fund
Belgium Bearpride / Carebears Collective
Belgium Bearpride accepts direct donations via bank transfer to support the bear community events and the Carebears solidarity initiative founded by Mr Bear Belgium 2026. The Carebears are a growing collective of volunte
Northern Lights Refuge — LGBTQ+ Refugee Resettlement (Ottawa)
Northern Lights Refuge / Ottawa Bears (Bear Frolic)
Ottawa-based LGBTQ+ refugee sponsorship team resettling people fleeing persecution, in coordination with Capital Rainbow Refuge. The Ottawa Bears Bear Frolic event raises funds for it. Source: ottawabears.com/bear-frolic
$0 raised CAD
Belgium Bearpride — Building Care (Carebears)
Belgium Bearpride
Carebears: a volunteer mutual-aid collective launched by Mr. Bear Belgium 2026 (Pavel) — cooking for trans-youth summer camps, helping widowed LGBTQ+ elders, and event safety. Belgium Bearpride also funds community event
$0 raised EUR
TBRU — Party With a Purpose (Dallas Bears Charity Fund)
Dallas Bears / Texas Bear Round-Up
TBRU is 100% volunteer-run and donates all profits to local LGBTQ+ nonprofits. Over $1 million donated to date. 2025–2026 beneficiaries include Cathedral of Hope Food Benevolence Program (meals to housing-insecure indivi
$1.0M raised USD
Bärenstark für die Aidshilfe — Solidarity Bears (Germany)
Deutsche Aidshilfe (local AIDS-Hilfe chapters)
Bear-themed German AIDS charity: Red-Ribbon "solidarity bears" (Solibär) sold across many cities (Frankfurt, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Kassel, Hagen, Offenbach…) at ~€9 each to fund local Aids-Hilfe HIV-prevention a
$0 raised EUR
Show-Me Bears — HIV/AIDS Community Fundraising (St. Louis)
Show-Me Bears (registered Missouri nonprofit)
The Show-Me Bears of St. Louis is a registered nonprofit charitable corporation that has donated over $1.5 million to local and regional HIV/AIDS charities across more than 30 years of HiBearNation events. Beneficiaries
Breaking Ground — Recent Milestones20
TBD — Bear Frolic 2026
Mr Ottawa Bear
Ottawa, Canada
Mr Ottawa Bear 2026 will be crowned at Bear Frolic 2026, scheduled for October 2026 at the Courtyard Ottawa Downtown.
2026
Michael
Mr. Bear Netherlands
Netherlands
Source (keeper lineage harvest): [verified] On Friday June 12, 2026, the new Mr Bear Netherlands 2025 was elected: Michael!
2026
Matt McVeigh
Mr. Australasia Bear
Australia
Source (keeper lineage harvest): QNews article 'Mr Bear New Zealand wins the 2026 Mr Australasia Bear Competition' confirms Matt McVeigh as winner
2026
Justin Mark (Holi Dae Knight)
Mr VicBears
Melbourne, Australia
Justin Mark, known as Holi Dae Knight, was elected Mr VicBears 2026. Big, Bold and Bearded — featured in Bear World Magazine following his win. VicBears is Melbourne's bear community group, celeb
2026
TBD — Competition Lisbon, July 15–19 2026
Mr. Bear Europe
Lisbon, Portugal
Mr Bear Europe 2026 competition confirmed: Lisbon, Portugal, July 15–19 2026. Hosted by Bears of Portugal (Associação de Ursos de Portugal / ursos.pt). Winner not yet crowned as of 2026-06-04. Current
2026
Pavel
Mr. Bear Belgium
Belgium
Mr. Bear Belgium 2026 (current); founder of the Carebears / "Building Care" solidarity collective — volunteers helping queer people: cooking for trans-youth camps, aiding widowed LGBTQ+ elde
2026
Marcin
Mr. Bear Poland
Katowice, Poland
Mr Bear Poland 2026 (current). Source: mrbearpoland.eu
2026
Cub Teddy
Route 66 Bear
USA, USA
Route 66 Bear 2025. Active in the Midwest and Southwest USA bear community circuit.
2025
Mikey Tate
Mr. Bear Perth
Perth, Australia
Hailing from a small town outside Perth. Represents regional and rural voices within the West Australian bear community. Mr Bear Perth 2025.
2025
Johann
Mr. Reykjavik Bear
Reykjavik, Iceland
Icelandic bear titleholder. Connected to Tallinn Bearty community showing the cross-Baltic bear network. Represents the growing Nordic bear scene.
2025
Cliff Boyd
North American Bear
USA, USA
North American Bear 2025, elected at NAB Bears in the Barnyard (Lexington KY, February 2025). 8 contestants, 3 titles awarded. Will pass title at NAB Bear-O-Vision February 12–15 2026.
2025
Alex Fortes
Mr. Bear Europe
Lisbon, Portugal
Portuguese bear and Mr LisbonBearPride 2024. Won Mr Bear Europe 2025. Accessibility advocate — making bear events and venues more accessible for people with disabilities. Website: alexfortes.eu. Annou
2025
Kris McGeough
Mr Ottawa Bear
Ottawa, Canada
Mr Ottawa Bear 2025. Crowned March 31, 2025 at Bear Frolic II, the Ottawa Bears' first major bear run. The competition was held at the Courtyard Ottawa Downtown in the ByWard Market.
2025
Dennis Reichert
Mr. Bear Germany
Hamburg, Germany
Communication designer from Bad Schwartau near Lübeck, living in Hamburg. Leather bear. Mental health is his primary platform — combating exclusion and stigmatisation. Instagram: @mrbeargermany2025
2025
John "Jono" Metzl
Mr. HCB
Sydney, Australia
Born in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and lived an incredible life there before moving to Sydney. Represents the Pacific Islander and Asian-Pacific diversity within the bear community. Mr HCB 2025
2025
Eamon Bishop
Mr. Bear Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
Representing Dublin Bears. Crowned during Bear Féile March 2025. Active in the Dublin bear community and Irish LGBTQ+ scene.
2025
Angelo Raffaele Nardella
Mr. Bear Sardinia
Cagliari, Italy
Mr Bear Sardinia 2025. Active during Sardegna Bear Weekend (6th edition, July 22–26 2026). Representing the Italian and Mediterranean bear scene.
2025
Billy
Mr. VicBears / Mr. Australasia Qualifier
Melbourne, Australia
Mr VicBear 2025. Source: qnews.com.au
2025
Greg
Mr Bear Milano
Milan, Italy
Source: bearfestivalmilano.it
2025
Arthur
Mr. Bear Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands
From Zaanstad, originally Belgian. Source: amsterdambearpride.com
2025
New Bear Territories
The bear community is growing into new regions — some with full support from local law and culture, others where community members face serious legal risk.
Safety data is maintained by ILGA World, which tracks the legal status of same-sex relationships in every country.
Malaysia — Homosexuality is criminalized under both civil and Sharia law. In 2026, the first Mr Bear International titleholder from Malaysia (name withheld for safety) struggled to find a venue willing to host the national qualifier. His reign is an act of visibility under genuine personal risk.
Middle East & North Africa — Dori, a Syrian refugee resettled in Canada, was crowned Mr Ottawa Bear (2020) and champions Northern Lights Refuge, the LGBTQ+ refugee organisation that once helped him. Bilal Sakr (Mr Bear Montreal 2024) fundraises for Rainbow Railroad, which supports LGBTQ+ people fleeing the region.
Eastern Europe & Central Asia — Poland and Czech Republic have established competitions; Hungary has regressed on rights. ILGA''s rainbow map is the current best reference.
Sub-Saharan Africa & Southeast Asia — South Africa remains the continent''s primary bear hub. Thailand hosts Mr Bear International. Other countries require significant caution — check ILGA data before travel.