Fat Bear Week 2026, hosted by the National Park Service at Katmai National Park, opens for public voting Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET. The weeklong elimination bracket invites the public to pick which brown bears gained the most fat ahead of hibernation. The tradition began in 2014 after a ranger noticed dramatic before-and-after bear photos, and the event drew about 1.5 million votes in 2025. The 2026 winner will be announced on Sept. 29.
Fat Bear Week 2026 Kicks Off — How to Vote and What to Know
Fat Bear Week 2026 begins: What to know, how to vote
Get ready to cast your ballot — not for politics, but for a seasonal wildlife showdown. Fat Bear Week 2026, the National Park Service’s beloved celebration of brown bears bulking up for hibernation at Katmai National Park in Alaska, opens for public voting on Tuesday at 12 p.m. Eastern Time.
What Fat Bear Week Is
Fat Bear Week is an elimination-style, bracketed contest in which the public votes on which bears have gained the most weight and best prepared for winter. The Park Service runs the tournament to highlight the dramatic seasonal transformation these animals undergo as they fatten up for months without food.
Bear 903 at Katmai National Park in Alaska on July 3, 2024, on the left, then two months later on Sept. 8, 2024, on the right. (Photos: T. Carmack, C. Cravatta/National Park Service via AP)
How It Began
The tradition began unexpectedly in 2014, when park ranger Mike Fitz noticed a visitor’s comment on a live bear-cam post that included before-and-after photos showing the same bear in June and again in September. Fitz was struck by the dramatic change and developed the idea of showcasing those transformations through a public vote.
Why This Matters
Accumulated fat is essential to brown bears’ survival. According to the NPS, fat is the fuel that allows bears to endure winter hibernation: their metabolic rate drops and they rely on fat reserves for months, often losing up to one-third of their body weight during that period.
This image provided by the National Park Service shows bear 32 Chunk at Katmai National Park in Alaska on Sept. 19, 2024. (E. Johnston/National Park Service via AP)
Notable Facts From Past Competitions
Last year’s champion — Chunk — weighed roughly 1,200 pounds and won despite competing with a broken jaw, an injury likely from a fight with another bear. Fat Bear Week also draws enthusiastic public participation: an estimated 1.5 million votes were cast in the 2025 tournament.
How to Participate
Voters are encouraged to choose based on whatever criteria they prefer: sheer size, an individual bear’s story, or unique charm. You can view the 2026 lineup of contenders on the National Park Service site and cast your vote when the bracket opens Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET. The new champion will be announced on Sept. 29.
Photo examples show clear seasonal change — for instance, Bear 903 on July 3, 2024, versus Sept. 8, 2024 (Photos: T. Carmack, C. Cravatta/National Park Service via AP).
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