Information on events and activities

The Golden State Bears have many events throughout the year happening on a regular basis, as well as special events every month in addition to the beer bust. The special events may include movie night, dinner night, day trips (Yosemite, casinos), trips out of town to other bear events. The many regular events are listed below.

Complete calendar for 2010 can be accessed here
 

The Den beer busts

NEXT BEER BUST - 9/4!

The Den in Fresno is where the Golden State Bears spend most of their time!

The Den is located on 4538 Belmont St, between Cedar and Maple.

The next beer bust will take place on September 4th, Saturday, from 8pm-midnight. There are new bust rules at the end as of August 2010: the cost is $8 for all you can drink draft beer / soda ($7 for GSB members).
There are sometimes door prizes raffled off or giveaways for those who buy into the bust.

The theme: GENERIC BEVERAGE BUST! It's Labor Day weekend, but we don't feel like doing anything, so just come out and relax with us! $3 hot dogs will be sold.

Beer bust photos

Club meetings

NEXT MEETING - 9/8 (Wednesday!

On the Sunday after the beer bust  the club holds a meeting, open to everyone. During the meeting we discuss our finances, the happenings during the past month, welcome new members and talk about anything related to our local gay community as well as the bear community in general. Sometimes after the meeting we'll venture out to a local restaurant for an informal lunch or dinner. If you want to hear what the bears are doing (not only in the woods!), join us!

In the past we'd gone to the Fresno Zoo after the club meeting and had a blast!!! We also did the Forestiere Underground Gardens! March saw us travelling along the Blossom Trail, with the picnic at the Hillcrest Tree Farm, where we boarded a steam mini-rail. The more the reason to join the club and hang out with us during that weekend!

Email secretary for the location of the next meeting.

Summer Pool Parties

NEXT POOL PARTY - 9/18!

When the bears start getting hot and bothered and ready to undress - it's high time we had a pool party! For the past few years, we've averaged 100+ attendees each month!

This year, the parties (1-7pm) are $5 for our members (and the club provides the food) and $7 for everyone else - the cover includes a barbeque buffet with all the extras and free soft drinks and water. Beer is available at extra charge and the bears are included! The event always takes place at Paul & Pat's house, 4710 E. Brown Ave in Fresno. 18 and over only, please, IDs will be checked. Liability release will be required to sign. Clothes check provided!

The last pool party of 2010 will be on September 18th.

In August the hours are 12-5pm and Bear Frenzy pricing applies ($12 non-members, $10 members), see Bear Frenzy page.

Members of other bear clubs receive a $2 discount on pool parties (except for Frenzy) with their club ID.

Pool parties photos

Lone Star beer busts

NEXT BEER BUST - 9/25!

A few times a year the Golden State Bears are privileged to host a beer bust at the Lone Star Saloon in San Francisco!

For bust prices, visit the Lone Star's website - they're different on different days of the week. Hot dogs are also available during the event, with huuuuuge sausage snugly squeezed in a warm bun (pricing may vary)! Every Lone Star event is heavily attended by bears from all over, and coming to a bust hosted by a club from out of town gives an opportunity to meet someone new!

The Lone Star Saloon is located at 1354 Harrison Street in San Francisco, CA.

Photos from Lone Star beer busts

Annual Bear Frenzy weekend

NEXT BEAR FRENZY - 8/20 - 8/22/2010!

Bear Frenzy is our annual Mr. Golden State Bear & Cub contest weekend. The Mr. GSBear title winner helps us all year round by raising money at our events (selling raffle tickets and being charming) for the club and gets to represent our club at selected events, including IBR in San Francisco (February). Also, Mr. GSCub 2005 competed in Snugglefest the following.

In 2009, our Mr. Golden State Bear 2008, Barry Welch, brought home the title of International Grizzly from IBR!

GSB out in the community

GSB is not the only social club in Fresno area, and but one of many bear clubs in California. We don't limit ourselves to local events, and thanks to Fresno's somewhat central location, we have had many opportunities to visit other places, towns, hotel rooms and establish friendly contact with many clubs. Our board members are sometimes asked to be on judge panels in contests.
The Yosemite Knights K of M Fresno have especially cooperated with the GSB: we took part in many of the other club's events (CheeksNChaps, Gathering, Leatherfest, beer busts, Bear Frenzy)...
Other clubs and events we take part in: Golden Gate Guards of SF (Folsom & Dore Alley beer booths, Springtime in Yosemite Run every year since 2002), Northern California bear clubs (bear float during San Francisco gay pride parade), Southern California Bear Club Alliance (bear float during West Hollywood's gay pride parade), International Bear Rendezvous in SF, Bearquake - Mr SoCal Bear contest in LA, biker clubs' anniversary dinners and runs (Golden Gate Guards, Satyrs MC, LOBOC MC), Imperial Dove Court's annual KampOut, assistance during St. Patrick's Day Run and more...

Photos of GSB on the road

Christmas Party - Dinner Night (3rd Wednesday) - Game & Movie Night (2nd Friday) - Brunch (last Sunday) - and coming in July 2010, occasional Day Hikes!

There are also "exclusive" events to which only club members and selected guests are invited. Every December there's a Christmas Party... every month we go out to a different restaurant... Once a while we've managed to go out of town as a group, for a weekend of bonding. Finally, once a month we host games & movies at various members' homes. In 2010, we started a monthly-or-so Brunch!

While we don't give out the location of those events, just chat up any of our members and ask them to bring you along! We would appreciate, however, that if you enjoyed the member-only event please join the club, rather than become a "groupie"!

Event pictures by Franco, Kevin C, Paul M, Sam P, Bill B, Ray M, AL A, Kirk C.