Sitges Bears Week 2026

Sitges Bears Week in June is one of the most important bears events in Europe — an annual gathering that draws approximately 5,000 bears and their admirers from across the continent and beyond to a town that is ideally suited to bear culture. The event was established in the early 2000s and has grown steadily to become the defining bears event of the Mediterranean summer. The format is the characteristically bears-event format of organised pool parties, bar takeovers, outdoor events, and the informal social gathering that is the real substance of any bears event — thousands of large, hairy, typically friendly gay men converging on a small town whose bars, beach, and terrace culture provide the perfect setting. The June timing places Bears Week at the beginning of the Sitges summer season, before the peak August crowds arrive, giving the event a slightly more relaxed and town-centred character than it would have in the height of summer. Key events include the official pool party, the beach gathering on Platja de la Bassa Rodona, and the bar circuit along Carrer del Pecat where bears dominate the scene for the duration of the week. Hotels and guesthouses that cater specifically to the bears community book out many months in advance.