Event Dates
From: Wednesday, November 22, 2023
To: Sunday, November 26, 2023
Bear Pride Cologne is held every year at the end of November and features a bear brunch, sauna parties and evening cruising nights.
Cologne Bear Pride is one of the longest running and most attended bear events in Europe.
The event takes place on the last week in November and can make for the perfect pre-Christmas escape as the Cologne Christmas Markets also open that weekend where you can munch on marzipan and gingerbread and knock back warming glasses of gluhwein – German mulled wine.
- Cologne is busy during the Christmas period. Book your hotel early. We recommend you stay close to the Old City district, full of charm and close to the city’s gay bars and clubs.
Cologne Bear Pride Program
The Cologne bear pride is wide and varied, ranging from hot nights in the sauna, to shopping trips, bear brunches and a super Bear circuit party on the Saturday night of the weekend. Awaiting Full Program for 2023:
- Wednesday – Events kick off with Daily Sauna at Babylon Badhaus from 10 pm., followed by the Bears Welcome party at 7 pm in Gentle Bears Bar. Events end with Bear Cruising at Pullermans.
- Thursday – Enjoy Bears and Fetish Shopping at MGW Cologne, followed by Bears and Drinks at My Lord from 5pm. Get hot and steamy at the XXL Foam Party at Phoenix Sauna from 6 pm. The Official Welcome party kicks off at 7 pm at Gentle Bar followed by cruising at Pullermans from 9 pm.
- Friday – Enjoy early drinks at My Lord from 5 pm. The 9pm Bears and Beard Party elects the Mr Bear Germany from 9pm at Club Traffic.
- Saturday – Enjoy Fetish Shopping at MGW or Sauna fun at Babylon and Phoenix from 10am. Take in the official Christmas tour from 2.30pm. The highlight of the evening is the PIPE party, the biggest bear event of the season in Cologne.
- Sunday – Bear events end with the Blow Pipe Afterhour event at Phoenix from 5am. Chill out from 2 pm at Babylon or hit the Phoenix Sauna at 4pm. Events end with a farewell meet-up at Gentle Bar and post party cruising at Pullermans.
Mr Bear Germany
- Bear Pride Cologne event is also the home to the annual Mr Bear Germany contest, which will feature men from all over the country competing at the city’s Club Traffic on the Friday of the event.
Popular Bear Venues in Cologne
- Gentle Bears Bar Cologne – Compact, bustling gay bar featuring cocktails & throwback music amid teddy bears on the walls. Host of the famous Bears and Beard Party.
- Phoenix Sauna – Right in the heart of Cologne on Richard Wagner Str. 12, easily accessible from the Rudolfplatz U-Bahn. With hot-jacuzzi, an entire new bar and vast cruising-areas. Young local crowd.
- Deck 5 – Late-night gay cruise bar with dark room in the back. Deck 5 attracts men in their 40’s and 50’s. Located on Mathiasstraße 5.
- Pullermanns – Pullermanns is a gay venue in Cologne that is popular for Cruising. Located pretty close to the centre of the city, close to the busy gay bars on Mathiasstraße.
- My Lord Cologne – Gay bar and cafe popular with older guys and admirers.
- Bogen 2 – Hosts the big Saturday night party, in a beautifully listed, Neo Renaissance building. Bogen 2 is located in a former German post office in the popular Agnesviertel neighbourhood of Cologne.
- Badehaus Babylon Sauna – A cologne institution running for over 30 years with a large outdoor pool (May to Sept), finnish sauna, steam room, bar and lounge, jacuzzi, cruising area, and courtyard.
Where to stay during Bear Pride Cologne
We have located Hotels that keep you in the heart of all the action and close to the bear events:
Hotel Lyskirchen, Maritim Hotel, Dorint-Cologne, 25hours Hotel,
Where to stay close to all the gay bars
Our top 4 selections with the best rates.
The 25hours Hotel is our choice when
we stay in Cologne close to the gay bars
For further information and advice on
Bear Pride Cologne, Facebook
There two gay areas in Cologne: Rudolfplatz, known locally as the “Bermuda Triangle” is more modern in style with Many of the cafes, bars and clubs around have started during the last twenty years. The Old Town is home to more Traditional pubs and bars for mixed ages.
Book with confidence. Get the best Prices from our partner Booking.com
We have chosen hotels in Cologne that keep you close to all the shops,restaurants & bars
This hotel is situated in Cologne city centre, 200 m from the Heumarkt Square. It offers spacious rooms and a restaurant. Some rooms include access to a health club with large indoor swimming pool. Spacious rooms with soundproofed windows and modern décor. All rooms include free tea/coffee facilities and a stylish marble bathroom.
Featuring a bar, 25hours Hotel The Circle is located in Cologne the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and a concierge service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms with a desk, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower.
Centrally located in Cologne, this hotel provides excellent panoramic views of the River Rhine. The Maritim Köln offers elegant accommodation and a spa with a gym and indoor pool. The air-conditioned rooms and suites are furnished in warm colours. All rooms include satellite TV, a desk and a modern bathroom. WiFi is provided free
This hotel lies in the heart of Cologne, offering a large indoor swimming pool and modern gym, and the sauna can be used for a surcharge. The bright and spacious rooms at Hotel Lyskirchen feature elegant interiors. All rooms come with a flat-screen TV, a desk and a coffee machine as well as a complimentary bottle of mineral water. Free WiFi is available.
Cologne Bear Pride
Cologne, affectionately referred to as the “Gay Capital of Germany”, boasts vibrant gay neighbourhoods brimming with history, culture, and LGBTQ+ pride. The city’s heart beats loudly in the districts of Rudolfplatz and the Old Town’s famous Bermuda Triangle.
Nicknamed “The Bermuda Triangle”, located west of town and home to Babylon & Phoenix saunas.
Known for its hip atmosphere offering a blend of chic boutiques, trendy restaurants, & lively bars.