Pittsburgh’s Corey Dunbar has won the title of Mr. TBRU 28 Bear in the Texas Bear Roundup.
1st place winner, Dunbar, who hosts bear nights at P Town Bar, got into competing in the Bear scene back in 2022. At that time, there was no recurring Bear night in Pittsburgh. After winning second place in the Leather Bear Contest, Dunbar and the 1st place winner decided to bring Bear nights to the city.
“I had started going out to the bars in 2021 here in Pittsburgh, and there were some people that felt like I would be a great representation for the title,” he says. “They’d ask if I ever thought about competing, and I was like, no, why would I do that? I’d never been up on stage like that before. But with their endorsements, they helped me out and pushed me to compete.”
Through competing, Dunbar has found an outlet to help with his confidence.
“There’s always a lot of nerves going on with that, especially with a performance, but then when you’re on stage and you hear all the people cheering for you, it’s a very enlightening and validating experience,” he says.
While Dunbar has competed in shows around Pittsburgh, this year was his first time competing in the Texas Bear Round Up, the largest Bear run in Texas.
The contestants compete in various different divisions, with Dunbar having won Mr. TBRU 28 Bear.
“It’s a big convergence that happens over the course of a weekend,” he says. “When bears, cubs, and admirers all come together and hang out for the weekend and party with a purpose.”
Dunbar shares that he was actually hiding in the back on stage when he found out he had won.
“It was a rush of emotions,” Dunbar says. “It was something that I was chasing for the last two years, so it kind of all hit me at once.”
With his bear nights, Dunbar wants to show people who are unfamiliar with the Bear community that it is not just kink-based. From just hanging out together to throwing charity strip shows, the Bears have a strong sense of community.
“Behind the scenes, I’m trying to prove that the bears care about their community,” Dunbar says. “The shows are normally a charity-type show. I’ve raised money for organizations like Proud Haven, Healing Foundation, and others over the course of the two years.”
Dunbar’s next Bear Night will take place on April 27 at P Town Bar.
“We are here, we are visible, and it’s time to embrace the thickness” he shares.