Fat Bear Week 2026 has kicked off with sixteen brown bears competing for the championship. Chunk, the defending champion, is among the contenders. The event has garnered interest, with voting narrowing the competition to the final last two days. Viewers can watch Katmai's bears and vote for their favorite chunky bear. The event has been featured in various media outlets, including KOSU, Your Alaska Link, The Washington Post, KTOO, and theanimalrescuesite.com.