Fat Bear Week 2021 Starts on September 29 in Katmai National Park

Located in a remote coastal area of southern Alaska, Katmai National Park is a haven for brown bears. It is quite possibly the most amazing place in the world to see these big bruins. In late-summer, dozens of bears gather at the falls of the Brooks River to gorge on migrating salmon, reaching its climax during Fat Bear Week.

In September and October, right before winter arrives at Katmai, the bears eat as much as they possibly can, a feeding frenzy called “hyperphagia.” Thanks to an abundance of food, especially salmon, many brown bears get very big this time of year.

September 29 Kicks Off Fat Bear Week 2021 in Katmai National Park

As a celebration of this seasonal event, Katmai National Park hosts an annual Fat Bear Week. During this fun week, you can vote for the fattest bear of the Brooks River.

Each day, you can cast a vote for your favorite bears, which may or may not advance to the next round, ultimately ending with the crowning of the Fat Bear Week Champion.

This year, Fat Bear Week starts on September 29, the National Park Service announced in a press release.

Despite a late salmon run, there are record numbers of brown bears at the Brooks River this year, patiently awaiting the arrival of calorie-packed salmon.

“Can 747, last year’s champion, stay atop the hierarchy of rotund royalty? Will 435 ‘Holly’ or 480 ‘Otis’ reclaim the championship? Is this the year 32 ‘Chunk,’ 151 ‘Walker’ or 128 ‘Grazer’ can claim a maiden victory? Could some other blubbery bear grab the attention with their weight and steal the votes from past favorites?”

National Park Service

As the bears fill their bellies with salmon, you can cost your votes in head-to-head matchups of “stout sows” and “bulky boars.” Fat Bear Week 2021 in Katmai National Park runs from September 29 to October 5.

Additionally, this year, there are also two extra days when you can vote for your favorite Fat Bear Junior, the fattest bear cubs in other words. Those days are September 23 and 24.

You can find the Fat Bear Week schedule, competing bears, a Hall of Champions and tons more information on https://www.explore.org/fat-bear-week. That’s also where you can cast your votes and watch a live webcam.

Here’s a preview of what’s to come during Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week 2021.

• Fat Bear Junior bracket reveal – September 20
• Fat Bear Junior Competition – September 23 and 24
• Fat Bear Week bracket reveal – September 27
• Fat Bear Week – September 29 – October 5 (champion crowded on Fat Bear Tuesday, October 5)

This competition is brought to you through the partnership of Katmai National Park and Preserve, explore.org and the Katmai Conservancy.

Learn more about Fat Bear Week on the Katmai National Park website here.