For one day during Provincetown‘s annual Bear Week, queer history and modern cruising culture came together on Commercial Street.
On July 13, Sniffies partnered with the Tom of Finland Foundation for its first Provincetown activation, celebrating one of the country’s largest gatherings of bears with exclusive merchandise, community programming and a late-night dance party at the Crown & Anchor. The collaboration honored the lasting influence of Tom of Finland’s artwork while highlighting how queer spaces continue to evolve in the digital era.
The event also introduced a limited-edition Sniffies x Tom of Finland Foundation Bear Week tank, which is now available online through Sniffies’ HUSH shop for those who couldn’t make it to Provincetown.
A Celebration of Queer History
The festivities began with a daytime pop-up market featuring just 300 exclusive Sniffies x Tom of Finland Foundation Provincetown Bear Week muscle tanks alongside official merchandise from both organizations.
Artist, activist and author Leo Herrera joined the event to meet attendees and sell his analog cruising kits, a project that explores the history of queer cruising before smartphones transformed how many people connect. His presence underscored the day’s broader theme: recognizing the past while embracing new ways queer communities continue to find one another.
The partnership was rooted in the shared cultural impact of both organizations.
Tom of Finland’s artwork became an enduring symbol of queer liberation during an era when LGBTQ+ expression was often pushed underground. Decades later, Sniffies has built a map-based platform centered on helping gay, bi and curious men connect in ways that reflect today’s technology while embracing many of the traditions that have long existed within queer culture.
Provincetown, with its decades-long reputation as one of the world’s most celebrated LGBTQ+ destinations, provided a fitting backdrop for the collaboration.
Dancing Into the Night
Once the sun went down, the celebration moved to the Crown & Anchor, where the party continued from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m.
DJs Ryan Smith of New York’s Wrecked party, Tommy C, Sterling Juan Diaz and Coach Chris kept the dance floor packed throughout the evening as Bear Week visitors gathered for one of the week’s marquee events.
The takeover reflected the same spirit as the daytime market, bringing together longtime members of the community with a new generation discovering queer traditions through different platforms.
A Limited-Edition Collaboration
The centerpiece of the collaboration is the Sniffies x Tom of Finland Foundation Provincetown Bear Week 2026 muscle tank.
Made from heavyweight cotton with a relaxed, boxy fit, the sleeveless shirt features a subtle graphic on the front and a large Tom of Finland Foundation artwork across the back. The design was created to commemorate Bear Week while paying tribute to the artist whose illustrations helped redefine queer masculinity for generations.
Only 300 tanks were initially available during the Provincetown pop-up, though a limited online release has since launched through Sniffies’ HUSH storefront.
Honoring a Lasting Legacy
Founded in 1984 by Tom of Finland and Durk Dehner, the Tom of Finland Foundation preserves one of the world’s largest collections of LGBTQ+ artwork while supporting emerging artists through exhibitions, archives and its Artist-in-Residence program.
Today, the Foundation’s collection includes more than 1,000 original Tom of Finland works, thousands of pieces by other LGBTQ+ artists and decades of archival materials documenting queer history.
Its collaboration with Sniffies reflects how that legacy continues to resonate across generations. While the ways people meet may have changed, from underground cruising spots to location-based apps, the desire to build community, celebrate identity and preserve queer culture remains at the heart of both organizations.
For those who missed the Provincetown festivities, the limited-edition Sniffies x Tom of Finland Foundation Bear Week tank is now available through Sniffies’ HUSH collection while supplies last.
