CONTEST INFORMATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Our annual Kentucky Bourbon Bear Contest will be held in Lexington, KY on Saturday, September 20th, 2025 starting at 7:00pm at The Bar Complex. This year's theme is "WILD WEST BEARS - THE CALL OF THE WILD". The contest is open to anyone over 21 years of age. Eligible participants must *EITHER* reside in the state of Kentucky AND/OR be an active member of the Kentucky Bourbon Bears.

All contestants will be required to complete the following tasks in order to be eligible to compete in the contest:

TASK 1:
Complete the online contest application.

TASK 2:
Have (3) outfits ready for the nights of the contest.

Contest categories consist of the following:

○ Bar Wear (whatever you'd wear to the bar to impress your suitors)

○ Theme Wear (wild west attire)

○ Fantasy/Fetish Wear

NOTE: Jockstraps ARE allowed to be worn during the competition. However, contestants who show their genitalia will be disqualified, and removed from the contest immediately! No confetti, water, liquids, or body fluids are allowed on the stage during the contest.

TASK 3: 
Participants will be required to attend a judges' interview on Saturday afternoon, September 20th at Spark by Hilton located at 2381 Buena Vista Road, Lexington, KY. Times will be announced once all applications are received by the 09/13 deadline.

TASK 4:
Participants MUST arrive no later than 6:30pm to be eligible to participate in the contest. There will be a brief Orientation to discuss important information. Contestants are NOT required to contribute a raffle basket for this contest. However, contestants MAY be asked to sell cash raffle tickets from 7:00pm-7:45pm to meet & greet patrons attending the contest.

TASK 5:
Contestants must adhere to all rules & regulations associated with the Kentucky Bourbon Bear contest.

TASK 6:
As a winner of the 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Bear Contest, you will be required to perform the following duties during your title reign:

• Represent the Kentucky Bourbon Bears and the LGBTQ+ Community in a positive manner for (1) full year
• Attend a minimum of (6) in-person club meetings
• Work in tandem with the Kentucky Bourbon Bears board members to assist with local events, activities, and fundraisers in Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, and other surrounding cities.
• Attend and volunteer a minimum of (2) hours at Lexington Pride Festival in June. If your schedule permits, try to attend other surrounding cities' pride festivals.
• Conduct at least (2) in-person or online fundraisers to raise money for local charities of your choice. These fundraisers should be mentioned at a club meeting so the board members can add them to our club schedule.
• Contestants are encouraged (but not required) to participate & compete at our North American Bear Contest in February.

TASK 7

Winners of the Kentucky Bourbon Bear contest will receive the following prize package:

• Kentucky Bourbon Bears logo title patch
• One VIP All-Weekend pass to our next NAB Weekend event
• Two nights night stay at the host hotel during NAB Weekend
• Other prizes TBD donated by generous community partners.

CONTESTANT BEHAVIOR

ALL PARTICIPANTS of the Kentucky Bourbon Bear Contest (those receiving titles, and those NOT receiving titles) are expected to win or lose gracefully, respect their fellow participants, assist winners with achieving KBB goals, hosting events, and representing their local contests and organizations in a positive manner. KBB contestants NOT conducting themselves in a positive manner (before, during, and after the contest) through verbal abuse, negative actions, spreading rumors, making false statements, creating/sharing disparaging social media posts will be banned from competing in any future KBB-sponsored contests. If any contestants/title winners participate in any of the negative aforementioned, the title winners could potentially be stripped of their title; and other contestants could be banned from all future KBB-sponsored events, and potentially open themselves to legal actions including, but not limited to, defamation, slander, or libel.

CONTESTANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

By checking the box below, you agree to the following:

• I have answered all information truthfully & accurately.
• I assume total responsibility for my personal actions.
• I confirm that I am at least 21 years of age, or older.
• I have not been convicted of a felony, and do not have any pending criminal/felony charges.
• I, the contestant, acknowledge that I am not allowed to be intoxicated and/or under the influence of recreational drugs during the competition. If it is proven that I am recreationally-impaired, I will be disqualified and removed from the contest for my own safety, and the safety of the organization and event venue.
• I will not hold Kentucky Bourbon Bears (KBB), its officers, owners, members, show coordinators, committee chairpersons, judges, venue, nor any other entity associated with either entity, liable for any type of injury, physical or otherwise, sustained as a result of any involvement with the organization and this contest or weekend event.
• I, the contestant, also release Kentucky Bourbon Bears, its officers, event committee chairpersons, and judges from any and all liability arising from the publications with my likeness. Photos will be limited and personal preferences regarding photos and usage will be abided by when club is notified in advance.
• I, the contestant, do hereby agree to conduct myself (win or lose), with grace and dignity. I accept that I may NOT win a title, but will accept the judges' decision as final.
• I agree to be a positive role model before, during, and after the contest, and refuse to participate in verbal abuse of the KBB, judges, fellow contestants, the event, coordinators, chairpersons, or venue.
• I agree to not make disparaging remarks, share negative social media posts/comments, and refuse to spread rumors or share innuendos.
• I, the contestant, accept that the KBB Contest, nor KBB organizations and organizers have no control over music, technical difficulties associated with music/lighting, or props that may affect the contestants' time on stage. While the KBB puts forth great effort, I accept the fact that KBB and cannot anticipate defects/errors on the night of the contest, and I accept that "Murphy's Law" can occur at anytime. I will not hold KBB, contest chairperson(s), judges, nor other contestants responsible if such problems occur.  

THE FOLLOWING INFO WILL BE READ DURING BAR WEAR

YOUR RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION BELOW WILL BE READ DURING THEME WEAR

YOUR RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION BELOW WILL BE READ DURING FANTASY/FETISH WEAR

Thank you for your interest in the 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Bear Contest! We look forward to meeting each & every one of you! Good luck, in advance. See you in September!

Kentucky Bourbon Bears
Contest Chairman & Committee Members