Growl for Beartown 15

Last year's Beartown 14. Photo by Stephen Cassell

Can you believe that Portland has been celebrating fuzzy, round, gay men for more than half my life now? That’s right, 2010 ushers in the 15th Annual Beartown from this Thursday the 10th through Sunday the 13th at the Jupiter Hotel (800 E Burnside).

Once again, the schedule is ridiculously exhausting. Whether you’re hot tubbing, cigar smoking, or dancing in your underwear, you’ll be doing it with other friendly beasts. And boy howdy, how exciting will be be to see a bunch if hairy dudes descend on Hawthorne’s shopping district?

Of course one of the biggest events will be the Release the Beast Dance Party with tag-team DJ’s Sam Storicks (of Bearracuda Portland) and DJ BradPDX (Crush Bar, “Tilt-A-Whirl” 2009) as well as returning host(ess) Foxxy Bernadette. And if you’ve still got growl in your soul left for Pride weekend, absolutely head over to Branx for Bearracuda.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. A complete schedule for Beartown is below. And if you’re not convinced, check out photos from last year’s Beartown.

Included in Full Package
Open to the Public/Possible Extra Cost or Cover Charge (See Event Descriptions for cost info)
BearTown 15 Pass Holders Only

Thursday

• Early-Bear Registration Sign-in  6pm-9pm @Eagle Portland
• Meet ‘n’ Grrreet  7pm-11pm @Eagle Portland

Friday

• Registration Sign-in  10am-8pm @Jupiter Hotel
• Bear Den Hospitality Suite  10am-5pm / 11pm-2am @Jupiter Hotel
• Shopping Invasion on Hawthorne Blvd 10am-2pm
• Cheers, Cheese & Chocolates Wine Tasting  1:30pm-4pm @Jupiter Hotel
• Bear Soup Hot Tub Party  2pm-4pm @Portland Tub & Tan
• Shed the Shirt Happy Hour & T-Shirt Exchange  5pm-7pm @Crush
• Smoke-Out Cigar Social  7pm-9:30pm @Jupiter Hotel
• Unleashed UnderBear Dance Party  9pm-12m @CC Slaughters

Saturday

• Registration Sign-in  10am-4pm @Jupiter Hotel
• Bear Den Hospitality Suite  11:30am-5pm / Midnight-3am @Jupiter Hotel
• Meet the Contestants Continental Brunch  9am-11am @Jupiter Hotel
• Beauty & the Beast Bingo with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence 11:30am-3pm @Jupiter Hotel
• Animal Instincts – Bears at the Bathhouse  2pm-5pm @Steam Portland
• Cocktail Hour  5:30pm-6:30pm @Red Lion Inn
• Banquet Dinner  6:30pm-7:30pm @Red Lion Inn
• Mr. Oregon Bear and Mr. Oregon Cub Contest  7:30pm-9:30pm @Red Lion Inn
• Release the Beast Dance Party  9pm-2am @Jupiter Hotel

Sunday

• Bear Den Hospitality Suite  9am-11am @Jupiter Hotel
• Brunch Cruise on the Willamette River  11:30am-3:30pm on board the Willamette Star
• Hugs ‘n’ Tugs Farewell Bear-B-Que  5pm-8pm @Eagle Portland