Fat Bear Week 2025: Dates, Voting, and How to Watch the Famous Katmai Bears

Fat Bear Week 2025 is here. The popular online event begins Tuesday, September 23, and runs until September 30. The contest takes place at Katmai National Park in Alaska, where brown bears bulk up on salmon before hibernation. Fans from around the world will once again vote for the fattest bear of the season.

The event started as a one-day Facebook contest in 2014. It has since grown into a global tradition. Millions of viewers now watch the livestream from Brooks Falls and cast votes online. According to organizers, more salmon are available this year, which means even bigger bears for the competition.

What to Know About Fat Bear Week 2025

Fat Bear Week is more than just a fun contest. It highlights the survival strategy of Alaska’s brown bears. The animals must put on massive weight each summer to make it through the long winter. Viewers get to see this transformation and celebrate the bears’ success.

This year, the competing bears will be revealed on Monday, September 22. Only bears spotted both early and late in the season are included. Rangers use photos to show how each bear’s body has changed. Bears are then matched up in brackets, and the public decides who advances.

In 2024, Grazer made history as the first female bear to win back-to-back titles. She was also the first mother bear to win twice. Her cub, 128 Jr, won the Fat Bear Jr. title in 2025. Fans are now watching closely to see if Grazer returns for a possible three-peat.

How to Watch and Vote This Year

The best way to watch Fat Bear Week is through the Explore.org livestream. Cameras at Brooks Falls stream the bears hunting salmon in real time. The footage has attracted fans in over 100 countries. It offers a rare look at the natural beauty of Katmai National Park.

Voting takes place on the official Fat Bear Week website. Voters click a photo of their chosen bear. The losing bear turns gray, and the vote is confirmed with an email. Only one vote per email is allowed. The bear with the most votes moves to the next round until a winner is crowned on September 30.

Last year, more than one million votes were cast. Organizers expect even higher participation in 2025 due to strong salmon numbers and high global interest. According to park officials, this year may bring the biggest bears in the history of the event.

Fat Bear Week 2025 is more than a contest. It is a celebration of wildlife, survival, and the global community that loves these animals.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: When does Fat Bear Week 2025 start?

It begins on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, and ends on September 30, 2025.

Q2: Where does Fat Bear Week take place?

The event takes place in Katmai National Park in Alaska, mainly around Brooks Falls.

Q3: How can I watch the bears live?

You can watch through the Explore.org livestream, which shows the bears fishing at Brooks Falls.

Q4: How do I vote for my favorite bear?

You can vote on the Fat Bear Week website by selecting your chosen bear’s photo and confirming with an email.

Q5: Who won last year’s Fat Bear Week?

Grazer won in 2024, making her the first female bear to win back-to-back titles. Her cub 128 Jr won Fat Bear Jr in 2025.