North American Bear Weekend

02/28/2025

Souvenir NAB 2025 photos from Galaxi Photography.

02/28/2025

02/26/2025

LENGTHY POST: Folks often ask me... “why do you put so much time & effort into planning a bear event and get nothing in return”? My answer is simple: Love.

- I love my community.
- I love our attendees.
- I love helping our charities.
- I love all of your hugs.
- I love the smiles & the hugs.
- I love the happy tears.
- I love seeing it all come together.
- I love that it feels like a BIG family reunion
- I love the generosity shown by our wonderful sponsors.
- I love shopping at all of our hard-working vendor booths.

Most of all, I love the effect this event has on its attendees. Hearing the contestant speeches about their passions for enriching our LGBTQ+ community during their title year (and beyond). Hearing stories about how - for the first time in their life - an attendee feels truly accepted and welcomed instead of ashamed and cast aside because they don’t fit in to society norms. Hearing how our event saved someone from becoming another su***de statistic. And seeing all of the photos of the smiles, hugs, and fun had throughout the weekend.

Rather than tagging a hundred people thanking them for their contributions to the event (and most definitely forgetting some in the process), I’d rather say this instead. NAB Weekend affects us all in different ways. Take the love, acceptance, and other positive emotions you’ve felt/experienced this weekend — and SHARE them! Build each other up. Offer more hugs. Be more welcoming and accepting to others. Get involved in making a difference in our community! And try to dismiss the pettiness & drama that often consumes us.

I extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended NAB 2025. It was truly a joy to see each of you. I look forward to seeing lots of familiar faces again at our 14th annual event next February.

Much Love,
Adam ♥️

Early Bird registration ends this coming Sunday! Get your tickets now at

Join over 1,600 guests from around the world for our 14th annual North American Bear Weekend from 2/12 to 2/15/2025 in Lexington, KY!

02/25/2025

Early Bird Registration is open NOW til 11:59pm this Sunday, March 2nd for our 14th annual NAB Weekend -- happening in Lexington, KY from 2/12 to 2/15/2026. Tickets starting at $149. Rates will increase to $169 when registration re-opens on April 1st.

NOTE: Early Bird registrants will get "first dibs" on host hotel reservations before opening to the masses on April 1st. Order your pass now at https://nab2026.eventbrite.com so you can be first-in-line to get a room where all the fun takes place!

Join over 1,600 guests from around the world for our 14th annual North American Bear Weekend from 2/12 to 2/15/2025 in Lexington, KY!

02/24/2025

If you didn’t get your shirt ordered this past weekend during NAB. The deadline has been extended until March 2nd. All net proceeds benefiting Haunters Against Hate. Expect shirts to arrive by March 18th.

Get this limited edition NAB 2025 Bears in the Barnyard T-Shirt supporting "Haunters Against Hate". All net proceeds from the sale of this shirt design by Paul Lanner will go directly to support "Haunters Against Hate". "Haunters Against Hate is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides gran...

02/23/2025

Congratulations to our North American Bear
2025 Title Family!

NAB Bear-Cliff Boyd
NAB Cub-TooMuchNeon
NAB Pet-Pup Julius

02/23/2025

02/16/2025

NAB Weekend starts this Thursday! Today is the LAST DAY to pre-register online for your *All-Weekend* passes (that include meals). You can still purchase Day Passes & Evening Passes at the event, but no meals will be included.

Come party with over 1,500 folks from all over the US! Get your passes now at https://nab2025.eventbrite.com.

More event details at nabweekend.com. To see our full schedule of events, download our event app at https://my.yapp.us/NABWEEKEND.

02/13/2025

REMINDER: Online pre-registration for NAB Weekend 2025: Bears in the Barnyard (Lexington, KY) ends this Sunday at 11:59pm. After this date, you will only be able to purchase Day & Evening passes at the door (no meals included).

Get your All-Weekend Passes now til Sunday at https://nab2025.eventbrite.com.