Bear clubs often sponsor large yearly events – 'bear runs' or 'bear gatherings' – like the annual events such as Southern HiBearNation in Melbourne, Bear Pride and Bear Essentials in Sydney, Bearstock in Adelaide, HiBearNation in St. Louis, Missouri, SF Bear Weekend, CBL's Bear Hunt, Bear Pride in Chicago, Atlanta Bear Pride, Texas Bear Round Up (TBRU) in Dallas, Orlando Bear Bash, and Bear Week in Provincetown (since 2001), drawing regional, national and international visitors.
Many LGBT events attract a significant bear following, such as Southern Decadence in New Orleans. 'Sociology of the Urban Gay Bear', written by Les K.
