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    Cheshire Capriccio Onyx (Illinois Hunter) at the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
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    At the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
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    At the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
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    At the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
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    At the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
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    Illinois Bear Contest Meet & Greet at Charlie’s, April 7. Photos by Joseph Stevens
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    Triq & Subzero Onyx (Illinois Bear) at the Illinois Bear Contest Meet & Greet at Charlie’s, April 7. Photos by Joseph Stevens
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    TJ Howard (Contest Producer), Subzero Onyx (Illinois Bear) at the Illinois Bear Contest Meet & Greet at Charlie’s, April 7. Photos by Joseph Stevens
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    Subzero Onyx (Illinois Bear) & Aurora Gainsborough (Illinois Mama Bear) at the Illinois Bear Contest Meet & Greet at Charlie’s, April 7. Photos by Joseph Stevens
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    Aurora Gainsborough (Illinois Mama Bear) at the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
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    At the Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M April 8. Photo by Joseph Stevens
Visitors and Chicagoans gathered at Charlies Chicago, 3726 N. Broadway, on April 7 to kick off the Illinois Bear Contest weekend, the first since 2019. The contest itself took place the following evening at Leather Archives & Museum, 6418 N. Greenview Ave. the 2023 Winners included Subzero Onyx (Illinois Bear), Marshal Temple (Illinois Cub), Cheshire Capriccio Onyx (Illinois Hunter) and Aurora Gainsborough (Illinois Mama Bear).

Illinois Bear Contest Meet & Greet at Charlie’s, April 7, and Illinois Bear Contest at LA&M, April 8, photos by Joseph Stevens