Online ordering closed.

To allow us to get everything ready for Southern HiBearnation, we have closed online ordering for passes, event tickets and merchandise. If you want to order anything, you can still purchase them at the Den Night and Registration Night. Also you can get individual tickets from OUT Video and Dungeon Warehouse.

Early Bird Passes closed.

Early Bird registrations have now closed, however you can still register for all the events by registering for the normal gold passes. If you're a financial member of any bear club, you can still register for $170. For non-bear club registrants, the cost of the gold pass is $190. If you still want to get cheap deal for the weekend, you can also register as a contestant for only $110.

Southern HiBearnation 2008 Charity, Country Awareness Network Victoria.

VicBears has selected Country Awareness Network Victoria as the Southern HiBearnation 2008 charity. Over SH2008 we will be raising money for this worthwhile charity. The following comes from their website.

Country Awareness Network Victoria Inc. (CAN) is a community based, not for profit, non government membership organisation funded in part by the Department of Human Services (DHS). CAN provides information, education, support, referrals and advocacy to Victorian rural/regional communities regarding HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, other Blood Borne Viruses (BBVs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

CAN’s beginnings were based in Castlemaine and originally the organisation was called ‘CHAIRS’ with its main aim being to enhance support given to people living with HIV/AIDS. Country AIDS Network was launched in 1996 and its base of operations moved to Bendigo. Over the years, the organisation’s core services to the community have grown to include other issues such as Hepatitis C and STIs.

In 2006, members of the organisation voted to change the name to Country Awareness Network Victoria Inc., believing that the name was more inclusive of the issues and work performed by us and allowing the group to remain CAN, the acronym by which most consumers know us.

CAN has grown to become Victoria’s peak rural/regional body for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, Hep C, BBVs and/or STIs. CAN operates from basic community development principles of empowerment and inclusion. We rely heavily upon our networks of collaborative partnerships with other organisations and individuals to facilitate the best possible outcomes for the communities which we serve.

For more information about our chosen charity, please check out their website, Country Awareness Network Victoria.

Southern HiBearnation 2008 launched...

It was officially launched in December at the VicBears Den Night, but now the 2008 Southern HiBearnation website itself is officially up and running!

This site is designed to give you all the answers regarding what you can expect from Australia's biggest bear event, this year running from Sunday 15 June to Sunday 22 June 2008.

Southern HiBearnation was huge last year, with hundreds of hot bears warming up Melbourne for this premier bear event. What's in store this year? Well at this stage we can tell you that your favourites are back, but a few surprises are in store as well! Returning are Monday Den Night, Thursday Registration Night, the Bearcadia city tour on Friday, Round Up on Sunday,É and of course Wednesday's fantastic UnderBear Party and Saturday Mr Australasia Bear 2008 competition!

UnderBear was an extremely well received addition to the calendar last year, and the MidSumma UnderBear night last month was a great taste of what's in store for this year's UnderBear. So come along, get down to your undies and closed-in shoes, and É well É see if you can keep those daks on! Make sure you do not miss the hot bears in all (well, nearly all) their glory and see what you can do to keep warm on this cosey winter's night!

Mr Australasia Bear will be crowned on Saturday night after 2 hectic days of competition. Again this is at the Laird Hotel and will be a huge night as always! The contestants will be introduced to you on Friday night, where they will all try very hard to become acquainted with you. So enjoy! This year however Friday night will have a new face - so come along to MeatRack at the Sircuit Bar on Smith Street in Collingwood and greet the meat! There will be entertainment, bears, snacks, bears, 2 floors of adventure, and more bears! In recent years Friday night has been the SHOP opening party at the Comic's Lounge, but this year we are having a bit of a change and it promises to be massive! Sircuit is a great new venue in a convenient location.

What else is new? Well this year there will be a special version of Melbourne's regular 4x4 dance party on Sunday 15 June to kick off festivities. So make sure you get in early so you can have a boogie.

Also, on Tuesday night we have Bear Bingo! This is an optional event and a relaxed night in the lead up to UnderBear the following evening.

Saturday brings us Bear Overboard II - Return of the LoveBoat - a relaxed afternoon on the bay with bears, beers and a bit of a feed. Cruising sounds like a great way to chill with the bears and get ready for the big comp that night. See if you can find out more about the contestants who you met last night before they get up on the stage that night and show their stuff.

And on Sunday - what better way to recover than a huge feed in the park with all your mates - new and old. The Bears on the Bend BBQ is a fully catered affair much like Bear Island in years gone by. Grab lunch and build up your strength because you're gunna need it for Round Up at the Peel Hotel and more!

It's going to be a daddy of a week! With cubs running amok and all of our friends in full on party mode. Bears at play are always at their best. And now you can book in those holidays and start planning! Passes are available on this site - as are full details of the events and some tickets.

And finally - remember that being a contestant is not only great fun but it is also great value! There is no better way to be a part of Southern HiBearnation, no better way to get the most out of Southern HiBearnation, than to be stand up and be counted! Any questions you might have will be answered beforehand and you will have heaps of support. Go on, make the difference and, as they say, just do it!

Southern HiBearnation 2008 runs from Sunday 15 June to Sunday 22 June 2008! Look out for regular updates here and if you have any questions get in touch! Only 125 sleeps away - that's only 4 months so get cracking!