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Leather, fur and poolside parties will collide this November when Puerto Vallarta hosts a series of overlapping bear and fetish festivals, bringing thousands of LGBTQ+ visitors for one of the busiest fall lineups in the city’s history.
From leather contests and cigar parties to clothing-optional beach days, organizers say the month serves as both a celebration of bear and fetish communities and a warm-up for the city’s bigger winter events, such as BeefDip Bear Week in January.
Puerto Vallarta has long been a fixture on the LGBTQ+ circuit, but the city’s November calendar has become especially attractive for travelers looking for events outside of the peak holiday season. This year, three main festivals are set to anchor the month: Brawny Bear Weekend, STUDS’ Leather Fever, and Bearadise’s Bearsgiving.
Brawny Bear Weekend
Brawny Bear Weekend, produced by Brian Kent Productions, will run Nov. 21–24. Partnering with Mantamar Beach Club and Industry Nightclub, the event features daily poolside gatherings, nighttime dance parties and a closing tea dance on the sand.
Organizers say the weekend is designed to highlight Vallarta’s mix of daytime resort energy and late-night club culture.
“Brawny Bear is about bringing the community together to celebrate in one of the most beautiful places in the world,” producer Brian Kent said.
Tickets are sold online through Eventbrite and the official event website, with single-day and weekend passes available.
STUDS Leather Fever
Running the same weekend, STUDS Bear and Leather Bar is launching “Leather Fever,” a four-day fetish festival produced in partnership with Casa Cúpula and Sir & Son. Events are scheduled Nov. 20–23, with venues split between STUDS’ Zona Romántica bar and Casa Cúpula’s pool club.
Highlights include a Mr. Leather Vallarta competition, a Mr. Kink contest, pool parties, a cigar social, a beach day and a closing-night party.
The event represents the first large-scale fetish weekend produced by STUDS. Casa Cúpula, known for hosting LGBTQ+ pool events and private parties, will provide daytime venues, while STUDS will host evening contests and themed gatherings.
Tickets are available on the STUDS website, with some events free for bar patrons and others requiring entry passes.
Bearadise Bearsgiving
The festival calendar continues into Thanksgiving weekend when Bearadise returns Nov. 28–30 with “Bearsgiving.” Known for its combination of Zona Romántica club events and boat-accessible beach parties, Bearadise is set to close the month with some of Vallarta’s largest outdoor gatherings.
Its signature event, Wicked Island, will take place Nov. 30 at Playa Caletitas. Guests board boats at Los Muertos Pier for the short ride to the secluded beach, where DJs, performers and a clothing-optional atmosphere create one of the city’s most unique party experiences.
Other Bearadise offerings include the “Follow the Yellow Paw Road” party, a Thanksgiving-themed dinner event, and nighttime club parties. Tickets are available as single entries or all-access passes in U.S. dollars or Mexican pesos through the Bearadise website.
Travel and Planning Tips
With three major festivals scheduled in the span of two weekends, event organizers recommend visitors purchase tickets in advance. Several past events, including Bearadise’s Wicked Island, have sold out weeks before the date.
Mantamar Beach Club, located on Los Muertos Beach, will serve as the main venue for Brawny Bear daytime events, while Industry Nightclub in Zona Romántica will host late-night parties.
For STUDS Leather Fever, attendees should expect a mix of bar culture at STUDS’ Basilio Badillo location and resort-style entertainment at Casa Cúpula.
Those heading to Bearadise beach parties will need to plan around boat departures. Each ticket includes specific boarding times at Los Muertos Pier, and organizers recommend arriving early.
November Bear and Leather Events at a Glance
Nov. 21–24: Brawny Bear Weekend
- Daytime: Pool parties at Mantamar Beach Club
- Nighttime: Industry Nightclub parties
- Closing: Sunset tea dance on Los Muertos Beach
- Tickets: brawnybearweekend.com
Nov. 20–23: STUDS Leather Fever
- Venues: STUDS Bear & Leather Bar / Casa Cúpula Pool Club
- Events: Welcome party, pool parties, cigar party, Mr. Leather Vallarta, Mr. Kink, beach day, closing party
- Tickets: studsbarpv.com.mx
Nov. 28–30: Bearadise “Bearsgiving”
- Venues: Multiple Zona Romántica clubs / Playa Caletitas (Wicked Island)
- Events: Club parties, themed gatherings, Thanksgiving dinner, Wicked Island beach party (Nov. 30)
- Tickets: bearadisemx.com
For those planning trips later in the winter, BeefDip Bear Week is set to return in January, continuing the cycle of bear festivals that now stretch nearly year-round.
This article is from our Fall 2025 print issue. You can view it here.
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