Bear New Zealand Week co-organiser Alan Granville can’t believe his luck as he chats about the third ever Bear New Zealand Week.

“It’s pretty bloody awesome actually,” he says. “To get the first one off the ground was amazing, then to cement it last year felt really great. Now we’re really seeing it grow and take on a brand and a following – it’s incredible.”


Bear Week is attracting visitors from all over the world this year – Alan and co-organiser Paul Heard know of punters coming from London, the west coast of the USA and North Carolina, as well as a huge number of beefy Aussies from Melbourne, New South Wales and Queensland… not to mention New Zealand.


“This year we’re going to see double the amount of visitors we had last year,” says Alan.

Bear hugs around NZ


One of the biggest – and perhaps more unexpected – side effects of Bear Week becoming a fully-fledged festival in Auckland has been the increased visibility of bear groups nationwide; Christchurch and Wellington in particular.


Alan says, “The bear groups in Christchurch and Wellington have been running for a while, but I think Bear Week has been crucial in establishing the concept of bears in New Zealand. To have a formalised group of events puts New Zealand bears on the map – not just for us, but on the bear map worldwide.


“The New Zealand groups are great fun – we really work well together. Wellington have just had their first big meet up outside of their regular bowling meetings, and Christchurch Bears has been meeting up and embracing the concept of Bear New Zealand. The Christchurch guys have also done a phenomenally good job of staying together and meeting up in such trying circumstances; I take my hat off to them.”

Christchurch Bears


Richard Tankersley, one of the organisers of Christchurch Bears, says being part of the Bear New Zealand competition has added another event to the group’s regular calendar.


“Bears are very simple creatures – we meet up, we eat, we drink beer… and regularly engage in another activity,” he laughs. “Christchurch Bears has one sentinel event once a month at the Honey Pot Café, which is a new space for us. All of our venues where we used to go and hide have been demolished, so it was necessary to move to a new venue. 


“We also run Mr Bear Canterbury later in the year. Mr Bear Canterbury then travels to Auckland to compete in Mr Urge Bear New Zealand. Last year, Arthur Milne won both Mr Bear Canterbury and Bear New Zealand. This year, we’re hoping Paul Schroeder can make it two from two.”


Current Mr Bear New Zealand Arthur Milne travelled to Southern HiBearnation to represent New Zealand in Mr Australasia Bear 2011. Much like New Zealand’s friendly bear community, Arthur says Australia was a good example of how universally friendly the community is. 


“I’m always surprised of how much of a community it feels like, especially when you go overseas and are enveloped in another group. At the competition I became really good friends with a group of guys over there – it was a load of fun.”


Arthur moves on to judge Mr Bear New Zealand this year, where he’ll be scoring his successor, current Mr Bear Canterbury, Paul Schroeder. 
“Paul is a lovely guy and he will be great at representing the older age group. It’s great to see people from all age groups competing in Mr Bear New Zealand.”


Paul admits that he was dragged into the Christchurch competition, but hopes to have as much fun in Auckland as he did in Christchurch. 
“I’m more of a wolf than a bear, I have to say,” he laughs. “I’m not fancying my chances of winning on that basis. I’ve got the older bit to play off though – I’ll be 60 at my next birthday!”


What’s on this Bear New Zealand Week 


Tuesday 14 February 
Bear Drag
Caluzzi Restaurant 


Wednesday 15 February

UnderBear Party, Urge Bar


Thursday 16 February

Bears on screen – Kink Crusaders

Friday 17 February 

Mr Urge New Zealand Bear, Urge Bar


Saturday 18 February

Tri-Nations 2012, 4:20 Bar, K’Road


Get more info on these events and pick up your tickets from www.bearnewzealand.co.nz today!