For many, the unofficial start of fall is Labor Day weekend. For others, it’s when they notice the leaves changing. For even more, it’s just the official start of fall (September 23 this year). For me, it’s FAT BEAR WEEK.
Everyone get hyped, Fat Bear Week is almost here. Beginning on October 4th and concluding on October 10, you’ll be able to vote on the fattest bears that Katmai National Park has to offer over on explore.org. Like all the best competitions, Fat Bear Week is sure to be filled with talent, drama, and incredibly tubby bears.
This years contestants will be announced on October 2 at 7pm Eastern. You’ll be able to watch the announcement live over on Explore.org’s Brooks Live Chat channel. The first round of voting will begin on October 4, with the Final Fat Four taking place on October 9.
For those of you who need a little taste of Fat Bear Week before it begins, Fat Bear Junior will take place on September 28 and 29, allowing you to vote for the fattest of the younglings as winter approaches.
Last year, Fat Bear Week was rocked by a voter fraud scandal. Bear 435, or Holly, received over 9,000 votes in a remarkably short period of time, prompting explore.org to investigate. The votes originally had Holly winning in one of the earlier rounds, but after discovering that a large number of fake email addresses pushed her to the top, Bear 747 (‘Bear Force One’) was declared the real winner.
Bear 747, or Bear Force One, wound up being the winner last year. This year’s competition is sure to be heated, even though we don’t yet know who the competitors will be. Let us hope for an honest competition, with no fraud or cheats taking over the limelight.
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Image Credit: Katmai National Park via X