Check out the hot bears enjoying this year’s Sitges Bear Week in Spain

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The annual hot and hairy extravaganza known as Bear Week Sitges came to a close yesterday. The event features ten days of beach fun, pool parties and sangria-soaked clubbing events.

It has grown in stature considerably since its birth in 2001. It now attracts between 6,000-10,000 attendees over the course of its duration. This makes it one of the biggest bear events in the world, and certainly the biggest in Europe.

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Organizers now promote three different beaches as gay hangouts, although Balmins Beach remains the most popular. There’s also a ‘Bear Village’ in the town itself, with its infamous ‘Bear Alley’. This is where the thousands of bears mix and mingle each evening.

The exclusive guest club this year was London’s BEEFMINCE.

Its co-founder, Dan Prance, told GayCities, “Sitges Bear Week is a celebration of body confidence, music and community – all the things we stand for. It was an incredible collaboration.”

His partner and fellow co-founder, Argyris Georgopoulos (DJ Silverhook) said, “We’ve both had our sights set on the beautiful town of Sitges for years, so we were so excited to put in our event on for four nights. I got to play alongside some special guest DJs, and bring the BEEFMINCE sound to the Sitges bears!”

As numbers have swelled over the years, the festival has sometimes encountered issues. It’s true that you need to act fast to secure a hotel room close to the bear village. Online forum groups are also full of people complaining about some venues hiking up their prices for the duration of the week.

Last year, the organizers also had to issue a testy rebuke, imploring attendees to behave themselves in public areas. This is not Folsom Street Fair, and local inhabitants were complaining about some of the goings-on.

However, for many, Sitges Bear Week remains a magical celebration that they return to year after year.

Mr Bear Sitges

One of the highlights is the annual Mr Sitges Bear contest. This year’s runner-up was DJ Marcos Moreno (@djmarcosmoreno), a Spaniard based in San Diego. The winner was Edward Martinez (@eddiebearsitges), who heralds from South Florida but has lived in Sitges for the past two years.

“Winning Mr. Bear Sitges 2025 felt like destiny being fulfilled,” Martinez told GayCities. “I frequent the local bear bars, and it is there I’ve found a kinship that is unique to these spaces. It’s the kind of magic that inspires you to share it with the world. When I go to these spaces, I connect with everyone, and everyone connects with me. I’m exceedingly proud to represent Sitges.

“Sitges Bear Week is amazing because people come together from all over the globe to celebrate one another and create unforgettable memories in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.”

His sentiment was echoed by Carlos Solanilla (@dkarelbravo), an attendee from Madrid.

“Sitges is a beautiful town where we can be ourselves, a safe space for the bear community and the entire LGBTQ+ community,” he told GayCities.

“Sitges Bear Week is one of the most important gatherings for the bear community. It is the perfect place to meet up with friends and acquaintances and enjoy wonderful days together on the beach, in the streets, or in the clubs. It is a place to reconnect where you can feel safe and happy.”

Sitges Bear Week has two events each year. In 2026, the smaller Spring gathering is April 30 to May 3, followed by the big get-together from September 4 to 13. Start researching those hotel vacancies now!

Check out more images below.

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