WINTER BEAR WEEKEND (Jan 22–24, 2016)


Come out of hibernation and join BEAR ALBANY as we launch into 2016! The Holidays will be behind us and WINTER BEAR WEEKEND is just what you need to make the cold season a little more bearable…

FRIDAY NIGHT – ROCKS, 77 Central Av

The weekend kicks off with a meat-n-greet party like we’ve never had before! We are moving our Friday night event to BEAR ALBANY Headquarters at ROCKS, 77 Central Av. There will of course be BEARAOKE, and our friends at ROCKS have arranged a special show that’ll be sure to bring you to your feet.  BEARLESQUE is a cabaret group that puts the burl in burly. This musical troop combines men, fur and Fosse at its best! Shows at 11pm and 1am in between BEARAOKE rounds.

Drink specials, bear snacks and complimentary BEARLESQUE show. NO COVER charge for any of the Friday events.   See who's going...

SATURDAY DAY

Get out and explore NY’s Capital City! Lots to do – there is the New York State Museum, Ice Skating on the Empire State Plaza and loads more!

Grab lunch at one of the area’s eateries of your choice.  BEAR ALBANY recommends:
After lunch, join us for a new BA favorite! Meet at Nine Pin Ciderworks Tasting Room at 3pm, 929 Broadway, Albany, NY to sample some delicious ciders.  Various ciders and munchies for purchase - $1 off all ciders for the BEAR ALBANY happy hour group – cheers!

There are also malls and movie theaters near-by so feel free to form your own group and host an outing. Too cold to venture out and explore? Enjoy the heated pool and spa at the host hotel, then rest up for the main event at ROCKS, 77 Central Av, Albany, NY.  Doors open at 9 so get ready to party!

SATURDAY NIGHT – ROCKS, 77 Central Av

BEAR Dance Party at ROCKS.  Shake your BEAR booty and dance like no one’s watching!  Doors open at 9 - Dance, drink, connect!! Great drink specials, music, door prizes and give-aways.  21+ to enter $5 door.  See who's going...

SUNDAY

We will converge on Dolan's Sports Bar at 75 Central Avenue (next to ROCKS) for brunch, lunch or whatever you want to munch.  Plan on 11 am, which is also check out time for our hotel guests.

HOTELS ARE BOOKING FAST!! 

You can request your reservation for studios, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom suites by calling the hotel directly at 518-860-1500. Please book your room 10-days in advance to receive the following special Bear Albany rates:

$95 per night for studios
$99 per night for one-bedroom suite
$189 per night for two-bedroom suites

Be sure to mention you're part of the “BearAlbany group” to get the discounted rate and book early as the discounted rooms almost always sell out. Once you're out at the bar event, ask one of the BEAR ALBANY folks about the hospitality suite for complimentary refreshments and fun when the bar party is over.

10th ANNIVERSARY PARTY (Nov 13-15, 2015)


Come celebrate BEAR ALBANY's 10th Anniversary with a weekend of partying, fun, brotherhood, and joy, as we raise money to provide people living with HIV/AIDS some holiday joy!

FRIDAY NIGHT

Head up to Water Works (76 Central Ave) for BEARAOKE MEAT & GREET at 10pm! Free with Pizza, Wings, great drinks, and all your favorite songs! Afterwards, head to ROCKS for Lance's Hairy Bear-thday Party! See who's going...

SATURDAY DAY
Always lots to do on a beautiful Fall day in the Capital Region -- leaves, wineries, museums.

We will be meeting at 1pm at the Niine Pin Ciderworks tasting room, 929 Broadway, Albany, NY, to taste some delicious ciders. Cider and nibbles for purchase. Afterwards, we will head down the block to Tanpopo, Albany's Ramen Shop at 893 Broadway to slurp some noodles!

Ramen not your bowl of soup? Wolff's Biergarten and Druther's Brewing are also in the neighborhood!

SATURDAY NIGHT

Main Event at ROCKS (77 Central Ave) beginning at 9:00 pm. Come celebrate 10 years of BEAR ALBANY doing it right! Dance, drink, connect!! Great drink specials, dance music, and more man fur than you can shake your stick at! See who's going...

SUNDAY

Early Breakfast? Dolan's @ 75 Central Avenue, opens at 8am and serves a great breakfast and brunch. Late Breakfast? Meet for Brunch at McGeary's at 12:00 noon. It's always a fun little weekend crowd with really great food.

HOTELS ARE BOOKING FAST!! 

Most of you should be familiar with the Marriott Townplace Suites (22 Holland Ave. Albany, NY). As always, be sure to ask for the "BEAR ALBANY DISCOUNT" when calling to get our special rates (518) 860-1500. There's no event registration fees and be sure to take advantage of the hotel's FREE SHUTTLE so you don't have to drive to the bars! Then, once you're out at the bars, ask one of the Bear Albany gentlemen about the hospitality suite for complimentary refreshments and fun when the bar party is over.

JOCK! (Sept 18-20, 2015)


BEAR ALBANY Celebrates 10 years with our infamous JOCK PARTY weekend!

FRIDAY NIGHT

Head up to Water Works (76 Central Ave) for BEARAOKE MEAT & GREET at 9pm! Free with Pizza, Wings, great drinks, and all your favorite songs! After midnight, head to ROCKS for cigar and pipe night fun!

SATURDAY DAY

Lark Fest Music Festival & Street Fair
* New York’s largest one day street festival!
* 10am to 5pm
* Lark Street, Albany, NY
Sharon Springs Harvest Festival

* Come celebrate with food, music, and fun
* All day Saturday and Sunday
* Downtown Sharon Springs, NY
Festival of Meats
* All the meat you can eat for one price!
* 4:00 to 9:00 pm
* $25 all the meat you can eat
* Elks Club @ 25 S Allen Street, Albany, NY
Goold Golden Oldies Car Show
* Check out these pics from previous years.
* 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
* Free Admission
* Goold Orchards, Castleton, NY
Five Rivers' Wild Turkey Trail Guided Walk
* 2:00 to 3:30 pm
* Free Admission
* Five River Environmental Education Center
* 56 Game Farm Road, Delmar, NY
Watchable Wildlife: Heading South--Fall Migration
* 10:00 to 11:30 am
* Free Admission
* Five River Environmental Education Center
* 56 Game Farm Road, Delmar, NY

SATURDAY NIGHT

Wear your JOCK to the Main Event at ROCKS (77 Central Ave) beginning at 9:00 pm. There'll be a clothes check for those who want to shimmy down to your jocks and underwear (encouraged but not required). Great drink specials, dance music, and more man fur than you can shake your stick at!

SUNDAY

Let's meet for Brunch at McGeary's at 12:00 noon. It's always a fun little weekend crowd with really great food. Then head over ROCKS for Hot Boi Auction starting at 5pm.

HOTEL INFO

Most of you should be familiar with the Marriott Townplace Suites (22 Holland Ave. Albany, NY). As always, be sure to ask for the "BEAR ALBANY DISCOUNT" when calling to get our special rates (518) 860-1500. There's no event registration fees and be sure to take advantage of the hotel's FREE SHUTTLE so you don't have to drive to the bars! Then, once you're out at the bars, ask one of the Bear Albany gentlemen about the hospitality suite for complimentary refreshments and fun when the bar party is over.

We Love the 90's (May 29-31, 2015)


We had to change the date of our event to May 29-31, 2015 due to a scheduling conflict with the host hotel. It's not an ideal situation, but it's a change that had to be made due to graduations and other local festivities happening at the same time. You can update any existing reservations by calling the Marriott Townplace Suites at (518) 860-1500. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you all soon!

Before there was a Bear Community, the early 90's was ruled by overly muscular men in acid wash jeans and white Calvin Klein T-shirt. Together they shaved their bodies, frosted their tips, and danced the night away to 'N Syn, Deee Lite, and the Spice Girls. Little did they know that one day Lance Bass would come out of the closet and Joey Fatone would become a very beefy bear sex symbol. But let's not forget about the Grunge Rock movement and rise of the mighty flannel shirt. For a while it seemed to rule every corner of the earth. Then there was Beverly Hills 90210, Doc Martens, Beanie Babies, and Yoshi was becoming a household name!

There's a lot of great memories to celebrate, and that's exactly what we plan to do. So come join us kick off the summer with our first ever BEAR ALBANY LOVES THE 90's party May 29-31, 2015.
  • Friday (10pm) - BEAR-E-OKE at WaterWorks 
  • Saturday (day) - Greek festival at St. Sophia's Greek Church 
  • Saturday (9pm) - main event at Rocks! Wear your 90's best!! 
  • Sunday (12pm) - Brunch at McGeary's Irish Pub​ 
  • Sunday (2pm) - Pride Kick-Off Picnic at the Corning Preserve on the Hudson River
  • Sunday (5pm) - Pride Kick-Off Karaoke Challenge & All Day Happy Hour
Hotel Information

Most of you should be familiar with the Marriott Townplace Suites (22 Holland Ave. Albany, NY). As always, be sure to ask for the "BEAR ALBANY DISCOUNT" when calling to get our special rates (518) 860-1500. There's no event registration fees and be sure to take advantage of the hotel's FREE SHUTTLE so you don't have to drive to the bars! Then, once you're out at the bars, ask one of the Bear Albany gentlemen about the hospitality suite for complimentary refreshments and fun when the bar party is over.

Friday: Meat & Greet (10pm)

Love the 90's weekend kicks off on Friday May 29 @ WaterWorks Pub (76 Central Ave) for the BEARAOKE MEAT & GREET. Come have a few drinks and then sing your favorite song for the gang. Plus it's a great time to meet new friends and "greet" buddies that you haven't seen in a while. WaterWorks Pub always has a great atmosphere, awesome drink specials, free pizza & wings, and NO COVER for all of our BEAR ALBANY buds. See who's going...

Saturday (afternoon)

Kickin' it Greek Style at Saint Sophia's Greek Church on Whitehall Rd in Albany! A Big Fat GREEK Lunch! 12:30pm -- more info to follow

As always, our host hotel Marriott Towneplace Suites has its pool and hot tub open all day; you're likely to find your fellow bear brothers kicking back and relaxing at the pool. Don't forget your bathing suit!

Saturday: BEAR ALBANY Loves the 90's! (9pm)

Join us for the big event! Come out Saturday May 30th at 9pm to the 90's main event at ROCKS (77 Central Ave). Head into the bar for awesome drink specials, great dance music, and a late night bite to eat around midnight. There's $7 donation at the door, which benefits the C4 AIDS Ward in Albany Medical Center. And while you're exploring every DARK CORNER of the bar, remember that what happens in Albany, stays in Albany. See who's going...

Sunday: Brunch (12pm)

Head over with the Bear Albany gang to McGeary's Irish Pub (4 Clinton Square) to have a delicious lunch. The staff is extremely bear-friendly, they have a pretty great lunch menu, and they'll even give you 20% off your lunch check by saying you're with Bear Albany. It should also be mentioned that it's the perfect place for those in dire need of a little "hair of the dog" on Sunday morning.

Sunday: Pride Kick-Off Picnic (2-5pm)

The Capital PRIDE Kick-Off BBQ has been an annual tradition for decades, this year that tradition takes on new meaning with a larger event to celebrate the start of PRIDE Month and the many celebrations of the community. This year come for a very special Pride Kick-off picnic in a special venue, Albany's Corning Preserve, and celebrate the official start of all things PRIDE. Enjoy a great spread catered by Bomber's Burrito Bar, catch up with old friends, meet new friends, as always, there will be terrific giveaways. A Family Friendly & Teen Friendly Event. See who's going...

  • PRIDE KICK-OFF PICNIC 
  • The Corning Preserve on the Hudson River
  • Map location: https://goo.gl/9Pn8zP
  • $5 Suggested Donation

  • Sunday: Kick-Off Karaoke Challenge (5:30pm)

    Mike Bear will be Heading off this year's Kick-Off Karaoke Challenge! Donate Cash to change song, knock singers, and raise money for Capital Pride. Happy Hour ALL DAY! See who's going...
    • Kick-off Karaoke Challenge
    • Happy Hour All Day!
    • OH BAR (304 Lark St, Albany, NY 12210)

    Best In Show (March 06-08, 2015)


    After this "Ruff" winter season, Bear Albany is teaming up with EGO Parties to thaw off our paws, shake off the cold of winter, and party hard at our BEST IN SHOW event (March 06-08). This special freak show of an evening will feature big furry beefcakes, performances by the EGO Parties, and dancing till everyone is barking like a dog (or bear in our case). Attendees are welcome to participate, but by no means required to do anything other than gawk at the crazy visual and audio circus. It's a perrrfect opportunity for all you Furries who like walk on the wild side...

    For those of you unfamiliar with EGO Parties, they're hosted by Isis Vermouth and feature some of the most unique shows in the Albany and Hudson Valley regions. Acts range from classic camp, to performance art, hard core trash, and everything in-between. Whatever form they take, the demented divas of EGO are sure to leave a fabulous permanent scar. See who's going...

    Hotel Information

    Most of you should be familiar with the Marriott Townplace Suites (22 Holland Ave. Albany, NY). As always, be sure to ask for the "BEAR ALBANY DISCOUNT" when calling to get our special rates (518-860-1500). There's no event registration fees and be sure to take advantage of the hotel's FREE SHUTTLE so you don't have to drive to the bars! Then, once you're out at the bars, ask one of the Bear Albany gentlemen about the hospitality suite for complimentary refreshments and fun when the bar party is over.

    Friday: Meat & Greet (9pm)

    BEST IN SHOW weekend kicks off on Friday March 6 @ WaterWorks Pub (76 Central Ave) for the BEARAOKE MEAT & GREET. Come have a few drinks and then sing your favorite song for the gang. Plus it's a great time to meet new friends and "greet" buddies that you haven't seen in a while. WaterWorks Pub always has a great atmosphere, awesome drink specials, free pizza & wings, and NO COVER for all of our BEAR ALBANY buds. See who's going...

    Saturday (afternoon)

    As always, our host hotel Marriott Towneplace Suites has its pool and hot tub open all day, so whether your coming back in from the cold or just want to stay in all day, you're likely to find your fellow bear brothers kicking back and relaxing at the pool. Don't forget your bathing suit!

    Saturday: Best in Show Party! (9pm)

    Join us for the big event! Come out Saturday March 7th at 9pm to the BEST IN SHOW main event at ROCKS (77 Central Ave). Head into the bar for awesome drink specials, great dance music, and a late night bite to eat around midnight. There's $10 donation at the door, which benefits the C4 AIDS Ward in Albany Medical Center. Showtimes are at 11pm, 12am, 1am. And remember, what happens in Albany, stays in Albany... And while you're exploring every DARK CORNER of the bar, remember that what happens in Albany, stays in Albany. See who's going...

    Sunday: Brunch (12pm)

    Head over with the Bear Albany gang to McGeary's Irish Pub (4 Clinton Square) to have a delicious lunch. The staff is extremely bear-friendly, they have a pretty great lunch menu, and they'll even give you 20% off your lunch check by saying you're with Bear Albany. It should also be mentioned that it's the perfect place for those in dire need of a little "hair of the dog" on Sunday morning.

    Sunday: Rocks Anniversary Party (5pm)

    If you're still in town late Sunday afternoon, head over to Rocks for their Bronze Anniversary Party. That's right, Rocks is celebrating 8 years of service with free food and a DJ. A perfect way to end your weekend! See who's going...