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Founder Steve Buczek Reflects on Challenges and Changes
It’s the 20th anniversary of BeefDip Bear Week, Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, 2024, which is one of the largest single week gatherings of bears in North America that started out as a simple small gathering of friends.
Last year more than 3,500 bears and their admirers attended the event. This year more than 5,000 people are expected to attend – a big jump from the first event that had 18 participants.
Technically, the event is 22 years old, but two years of the event were skipped (one year in 2004 and one in 2021 because of the COVID pandemic), making this the actual 20th event.
Founder Steve Buzek said the event has grown organically over the 20-year period.
“Well, it all happened very organically. I worked in the steel industry first and then by the age of 24 I started producing events,” he said. “Then I moved to Toronto in 1996 and I started doing gay events and that eventually led me to the bear scene there. One of the local promoters in Toronto knew of my work and invited me to come to Puerto Vallarta to help him with an event. That’s how I first got to know Puerto Vallarta, and the sense of community and kindness of the people really captivated me.”
And the name, BeefDip, seemed like a natural fit, he added.
“To be honest, event names for my parties have always come easy to me, they tend to pop into my head when I’m in the process of creating a new event,” he explained. “Since this one in particular is full of “beefy” men coming to “dip” in the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, it only made sense to go with this name *wink*.”
Buzek said so much had changed over the years, and 2024 is no exception to changes.
“Back then there were only a handful of gay spaces and the bear scene was non-existent. Since then, Puerto Vallarta has grown a lot,” he said. “It has become even more welcoming and there are a lot of entertainment options for the gay community now. I’ve said in the past that it feels like a giant sanctuary for the LGTBQ+ community now.”
And there are changes this year – Mantamar and Industry NightClub opted to do their own bear activities, so BeefDip will hold their annual pool party at Azul Turquesa Real Experiences Hotel – which is a brand new facility located at Carr. Costera a Barra de Navidad km 15, 48300 Puerto Vallarta, Jal.
Changes for 2024:
Mantamar will organize its own bear event
Industry NightClub hosts the Fiesta del Oso.
Other Beefdip activities will continue in its usual locations.
The Pool Parties will be held at Azul Turquesa Real Experiences Hotel, a brand new hotel that is located 15 to 20 minutes by car from the Romantic Zone.
Putting on an event this large, in a foreign country, comes with its problems and many logistical challenges.
“Putting on an event as big as BeefDip always comes with challenges and opportunities. One thing I would love is for some of the critics to understand that it takes a lot of work to put something like this together,” he explained. “We currently offer more than 25 events during the week and there are a lot of moving parts from logistics to venue scouting to booking talent and design, and all of that has a cost that is monetary of course but also time and energy consuming for the whole BeefDip team.”
But he added with a smile, it was worth the hard work because of the smiles and what the event brings to Puerto Vallarta.
“However all the work is worth it when we see all the guys enjoying themselves and having fun, and when you see how the businesses do well thanks to the guys who visit for BeefDi,” he said. “ We want the local businesses and community to thrive because they are the ones that really make things happen. Without them and the community there is no Puerto Vallarta.”
One of the things Buczek said he loved most about the event was getting to see returning visitors from all over the world.
“I love meeting all of the guys that come to BeefDip from around the world and watching them have a great time here,” he said. “And hearing the stories like anniversaries spent here, and engagements and weddings, its all very heart-warming.”
“Thanks to all the bears who keep coming we are seeing sold out hotels months in advance and crowded bars all week long and beyond,” Buczek explained. “This is not limited to our official venues but it’s seen all over the Romantic Zone. This is something we are very grateful for because we love to see the local business and the beautiful people of Puerto Vallarta grow and thrive.”
BeefDip Bear Week has contributed more than more than $143,000 CAD over the last 20 years to a number of local charities including SETAC, Los Niños de Magisterio, RISE Orphanage, and Vallarta Food Bank.
“Yes, I think it’s very important to always give back to the community,” Buzek added. “Our biggest beneficiary is SETAC. We believe that the work they do for the local gay community and the fight against HIV is vital.”
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