Fat Bear Week 2026 has begun with sixteen brown bears battling for the championship. Chunk, the defending champion, is among the contenders. The event has drawn attention, with voting narrowing the competition to the final two days. Viewers can enjoy watching the bears in Katmai and cast their votes for the bear they like best. The event has been featured in various media outlets, including KOSU, Your Alaska Link, The Washington Post, KTOO, and theanimalrescuesite.com.