It's just right around the corner, it's Atlanta Bear Fest (ABF) hosted by the Southern Bears and it's all gonna take place in Atlanta, Georgia during the 4th of July weekend. You can't ask for better...

The Southern Bears are one of the oldest Bear clubs around being together for more than 16 years. They've also been getting a lot of good coverage in the press, like this article written about them and ABF in Southern Voice. Also, you will see their story in the upcoming David Magazine as they are getting both the cover story and a center spread (with cute Bears!).

Here are some updates regarding ABF: day passes are now available; 2 optional events at Mary's bar have been added - a pre-party 'The Honey Pot' on Wednesday's and 'Bear Happy Hour' on Friday night. Find out more here.

They have created a newsletter for those who wish to keep up to date with ABF and future runs.

And remember, Rich McGunn (photo - articles) will be there. This model is on the current cover of BEAR Magazine issue #67 (website - articles - cover - profile) and he'll be hanging out with them Southern Bears while fireworks burst all about ya'll (I'm a Canadian, I shouldn't really be saying ya'll).

First off - my apologies I should have posted this last week (I'm catching up... it's a long story). Anyhow, I received my copy of BEAR Magazine (website - articles - profile) issue #67 (cover), the new and improved BEAR that has been taken over by Bear Omnimedia (website - interview), the same guys who give you ButchBear. On the cover is Rich McGunn (photo). Pick up a subscription from their site or grab a copy off the rack at your friendly adult content provider.

"Issue #65 is the premiere issue of BEAR Magazine's (website - articles - profile) rebirth and it's almost sold out! Only 50 remain in stock from the original 40,000 run only 9 months ago! With over a decade of publishing experience, Bear Omnimedia has brought back the ever-popular BEAR as a quarterly magazine that provides thousands of men with images up-to-date lifestyle options they want most, that won't go out of style. Simply put: hairy man sex!".

It's time to make your plans for the upcoming Atlanta Bear Fest (ABF), the annual run hosted by the sexy Southern Bears, a group that has been together for over 16 years (and holy smokers that is one incredible site they have there - kudos to their webguy).

ABF will be taking place in Atlanta, Georgia from July 2nd thru the 5th, so make sure to get all patriotic-like as the theme is 'Red, White, & Bears'. A super affordable run which includes pool parties, open bar nights, live entertainment and food. Also, Rich McGunn (photo), pinup model for BEAR Magazine's (website - articles - profile) upcoming issue #67, will be there, so make sure to bring a felt pen so he can sign your chest or some other body part.

You shall soon be seeing issue #67 very soon from BEAR Magazine (website - articles - profile), and they have the iconic Rich McGunn on their cover as well as their centerfold. This guy is just way too cute. Here's a picture preview they sent in and make sure to check out this video preview for this issue. Check your local adult store for this latest issue, or grab yourself a subscription from their website.

Press Release - "BEAR Magazine (website - articles - profile) announces the creation of BearsList: a fast and easy way to help Bears connect with like-minded, horned-up men and to satisfy the Bear-Player philosophy of instant, hairy gratification.

Since BEAR Magazine will not accept nor print personal classified ads, BEAR created this new online resource for hook-ups; and in the Bear tradition of putting service to the community above profit and personal gain, it's totally free! BearsList is retro in that it doesn't have any flashy animation nor graphics and no profiles or IMs - just blind email relaying. No one will know who posted the ad unless you reply to an email relayed to you - or your hot pic that is attached to the ad. We intend this to work with your preferred profile site. It's an added value for spontaneous sexual expression that naturally filters out the shaven bois who have no interest in us. It's simple, private and secure".

BEAR Magazine (website - articles - profile) has recently released their #66 issue (cover) and already they are making plans for #67 (cover - centerfold): "The newest issue of BEAR mag, #67, is hitting the stands in a few weeks and you can be one of the first to get it by becoming a subscriber or by placing a pre-order at the site. The new issue features Rich McGunn, Mr. Bear Player 67, as the cover and centerfold model who is joined by a 2001 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide for his spread. It's also packed with many hot photos of horny and hairy, manly men. There's an article on bear celebrity Larry Flick, star of OutQ on Sirius XM Radio who routinely interviews today's famous like Madonna, Timberlake & Duffy. Other features include Steven Miller's Bear photographer, an erotic story 'Planet Fuck'; an article on 'Kick-ass Secrets', and more!".

I just received in the mail issue #66 of BEAR Magazine (website - front cover - back cover - articles - profile). This is the 2nd issue published by Bear Omnimedia once they acquired the BEAR trademark, and this issue is even better looking than their 1st. There's a ton of good looking guys, with Tober Brandt on the cover, and this issue has a centerfold for you to flip open.

In other news, they were initially planning on coming out with an issue every 6 months. They have decided to double the goodness so expect to see 4 issues every year.

I just received my copy of the latest BearParty Magazine website - cover - articles - profile), created by CyberBears. A great digest you can almost fit in your back pocket (almost, but not quite). It's filled with articles and photos and there are also listings of upcoming Bearish events. You can pick up your copy at your local Bear bar, and if they don't have a copy there you can make request for them to send it to their bar. You can also subscribe via their site.

Altho this is unrelated to BearParty Magazine, CyberBears sent me a few photos of one of their latest cute models - Marcangelo. Take a look: photo #1 - photo #2 - photo #3 - photo #4.

Last week I had mentioned about the upcoming GayVN awards (the Oscars of porn), and then I also mentioned of a 'special' award category - 'Best Cum Shot' (article). Well I also have to mention that Bear Omnimedia are up for a whopping 13 nominations. Bear Omnimedia are the guys who bring you Butch Bear, BEAR Mag and Backroom Films. Here are the categories that they are nominated for:

Best Fetish Performer: Tober Brandt, Park Wiley (from House of Leather).
Best Bear Film: Bounty Hunter (Butch Bear).
Best Classic DVD: Jack Radcliffe Box Sex (Butch Bear).
Best Fetish Film: House of Leather (Backroom Films).
Best Leather Film: House of Leather (Backroom Films).
Best Threesome: Bounty Hunter (Butch Bear).
Best Cum-Shot: Mike Dreyden - House of Leather (Backroom Films).
Best Editing: House of Leather (Backroom Films).
Best Bear Site: ButchBear.com.
Best Packaging: House of Leather (Backroom Film); Jack Radcliffe Box Sex (Butch Bear); Tap Out (Butch Bear).

"Issue 66 of BEAR Magazine (website - articles - cover - profile) is out and bigger than before! Not only is it filled once again with big 'n' hot photos of bearded, furry hunks, we've added a few new features including an amazing foldout centerfold featuring our current Bear Player cover model, Tober Brandt. Each issue will feature a Bear Player cover model and centerfold, completely exclusive to BEAR Magazine. BEAR is currently available at many bookstores across the country, by subscription and at many 2009 Bear events. And very soon we will be offering digital subscription to the magazine as an alternate option to print subscription.

BEAR Magazine was recently at IBR in San Francisco as a sponsor and visited by a former Bear model, Dominick, who starred in the classic movie 'Bear Classic' with Jack Radcliffe. Dominick, who was the MC for IBR's evening events was pleased to see his movie on DVD and joked that he was now a 'Bargain Bin Bear' noting that our movies had been marked down especially for IBR! Hey, another great reason to go to Bear events... hot porn stars and deals on products! Here are a couple of pictures from IBR - pic #1 - pic #2".

Although I am not completely sure, however from what I've heard, the latest BEAR Magazine (website - articles - profile) is now out, which is issue #66 (cover). I know for sure it's at the mailing house being processed for mailing. This is the 2nd issue published by the new owners, Bear Omnimedia, the same guys who give you ButchBear. I also know that they are working on issue #67 who will have Rich McGunn on the cover posing with his Harley.

Pinups (website - articles - profile), a magazine created by Christopher Schulz in New York, has released issue #8, bringing together "Juanjo and Tony in a pictorial inspired by the gladiatorial scene in Ken Russell's 'Women in Love'. Two friends bond through wrestling, conjuring feelings of playfulness, competitiveness, violence and sexuality". Click here to see all the issues and to order your own.

2ndly, there is a launch party celebrating this issue. As well they will be featuring the first ever Pinups video and all 8 issues will be pinned up in poster style. This will be taking place at John & Alessandro's Cruising on Saturday, January 31st, 2009 at Santos Party House, 96 Lafayette Street, NYC. Click here to learn more.

The latest issue for BearParty (website - articles - profile) is available, created by CyberBears. From Mike: "It's hard to believe that we're already starting our third year together! How long is that in gay years? This issue we're trying something new. You've told us how much you appreciate the drink recipes in the Open Bar section. So we found Chef Dale Duprat, who's an active member of the Bear community, to bring us a food column. We'll also be covering Bear artist Jerry Frost's colorful abstract paintings, which caught our eye at a gallery showing in San Francisco, and Sean M. Johnson's hairy events made our art columnist Cubby Hudson stand up and take notice. Don't miss our woofy cover model Gabriel's photo spread, or the latest in our comic series by Mark Wulfgar, and the rest of the features you've come to expect from BearParty Magazine".

Some cool news from Butch Bear (the same guys who bring you BEAR magazine):

"Village Lighthouse, Inc. today inked an exclusive merchandise licensing agreement with Butch Media, Ltd., a Bear Omnimedia company, to publish and distribute Butch Bear branded books, calendars, greeting cards and other products under its BIG Daddy and PROVOCATEUR divisions. Butch Bear has become known for the best adult films staring muscular hairy men, and this new merchandise will feature some of the hottest models from their most popular titles, each one full of furry eroticism for Bear lovers.

"Through its quality and consistency, Butch Bear has become a leader in the adult marketplace for producing content for those who love Bear men", said Ron Miller, President of Village Lighthouse, Inc. "Butch Bear knows their customer very well, and the products we create with the impressive photography of Teddy Mark will continue to reflect that dedication to the desires of their core audience".

"Village Lighthouse Inc. is well known for their strength in producing and distributing erotic specialties and publications. This partnership offers strong support for our hyper-masculine, Butch Bear point of view, and meets the demand for a high quality, hot line of products for those who celebrate the unapologetically unshaven man", said Butch Bear CEO Wolfe Thompson.

A book of photography entitled 'Muscle + Fur' will be published in May 2009 by PROVOCATEUR featuring some of the best photography by Teddy Mark of the Butch Bear models. This book follows PROVOCATEUR's popular December 2008 release of Uncensored featuring photography by acclaimed celebrity photographer Joe Oppedisano.

A 2010 Butch Bear wall calendar will be published in June 2009 by BIG Daddy. BIG Daddy will also publish a complementary line of Butch Bear greeting cards this summer".

There was a postal strike in my area, so the mail has been backed up (they chose just before Christmas to go on strike... hit where it hurts). Anyhow I finally received the latest BEEF (website - articles - profile) in the mail. It's issue number #40 (cover) and it's their very first in all colour. As always, great job, lots of good looking guys, stories, comics, commentaries. Order your own via the post by getting a subscription at their online store.

Teddy and Wolfe, the very fine looking gents who run ButchBear (website - profile) and BEAR Magazine (website - profile), are sending out a Merry Chri and a Joyeux Noël...

and some chocolate hugz as well...

The following is from Scott McGillivray (website) the editor for BEEF Magazine (website - articles - profile): "100% BEEF Magazine, the successor to the masculine-identified publishing legacy established by the now-defunct Original BEAR Magazine (website - articles) has just released it's 40th Edition. To mark this occasion, and signal the magazine's exciting forward momentum, BEEF has converted to a full-color format!

'It was time', says Editor and Co-publisher Scott McGillivray in his page one 'From the Editor' remarks in the 40th Edition of BEEF, adding, 'black and white was fun, and it allowed us to transition from where we were, pay homage to our beginnings, and continue the aesthetic of... the magazine from which we came, pretty seamlessly'.

BEEF focuses on the identities and lifestyles of adult, masculine-identified men and Bears. It was launched in May '02 by a group of friends after their swift departure from the hugely popular, but poorly managed and now-defunct original BEAR Magazine. Excited to continue the publishing legacy, but also eager to broaden the definitions and masculine sexual identities which the original Bear Magazine helped to popularize, co-publishers Scott McGillivray and Larry Woolwine forged a publishing alliance titled after the homoerotic term 'beefcake'.

From its first issue, 100% BEEF broke new erotic ground by injecting art, humor and satire into the masculine erotic mix, and by featuring models and materials that, many argued at the time, staunchly challenged some of the rigid parameters which had defined their publishing predecessor's pages".

It was only last week we mentioned that issue #66 of BEAR Magazine will be available in January. Well today we got word that they got the rights to the dotcom for BearMagazine.com. Bear Omnimedia said the domain name was placed into an auction, they made a bid, and they won it.

The following is from Bear Omnimedia: "Ok, it's official, the domain BearMagazine.com has finally come back to BEAR Magazine! Since the implosion of Brush Creek Media in 2002, much of its contents have been hidden or scattered. For the past year Bear Omnimedia has been working on putting some of the pieces back together under the BEAR label, such as reassembling all of the back issues (#1 ~ #64), for eventual posting online (article); also repackaging and re-releasing some of BCM's more popular Bear movies on DVD. Not only in support of the new BEAR, but also in acknowledgment of Bear History and its continuing relevance. Having the domain back with the magazine may be a minor gain, but it's a definite step forward.

If you have any of the old BCM movies or publications, and are interested in helping us in our efforts to reassemble the Bear archives, please email me, Teddy".

Some good news from the makers of Pinups magazine (website - articles - profile), the magazine that can be "taken apart and then tiled together to reveal a life-size image". Actually, there's 2 things to mention: 1st off, their #8 issue featuring Juanjo and Tony will be available in January and pre-orders are available now; 2ndly, their 2nd special edition is also available, featuring Jason, a new cover, an all-new layout and many previously unused photos. It's all good news.