Whether you have a beard like Grizzly Adams or Yosemite Sam, or a mustache like Salvador Dali or Charlie Chaplin, RVA Beard League wants
Whether you have a beard like Grizzly Adams or Yosemite Sam, or a mustache like Salvador Dali or Charlie Chaplin, RVA Beard League wants to see whatever fancy facial hair you’ve managed to grow and groom at their 5th Annual Mid-Atlantic Beard and ‘Stache Championships this weekend.
“Every year we’ve had a competition,” said Jose DeJesus, Treasurer of RVA Beard League. “Since the first year, it’s gotten bigger, we’re hoping this year we’ll be a little bit bigger.”
There are four overall categories including Artistic, Moustaches, Partial Beards (those with shaved segments), and Full Beards with sub-categories in each, totaling 14 categories in all for contestants to enter.
In the “Artistic” category, which is defined as artificial and imaginative creations meant to resemble facial hair and there are two sub-categories, realistic and creative.
In the “Moustache” category there are two styles, natural and styled.
In the full beard category, there are six classes judging from shortest to longest and finally there’s a “Best In Show.
“Everybody that gets first place in each of the individual categories will go against each other and go up for “Best in Show”,” said DeJesus.
And this year, the theme is “Superheroes” so DeJesus said judges will be looking for bearded individuals who incorporate that element somehow into their facial hair or design.
“{The themes are} to encourage people to dress up or get inspired a little bit,” he said. “Especially the category that encourages style, the full beard freestyle they can do pretty much anything they want.”
Contestants will be judged by Brian Powell, a competitive bearder since 2012 in the Miami area where he’s President of B.O.M.B. (Brotherhood Of Mustaches & Beards). They will also be judged by Melissa Chase, a local radio personality and returning judge, Paul Roof, a four-time competitor at Worlds, Joe Farrell of the Steel City Beard and Moustache Club and Dot Reid, owner of Refuge for Men.
Oh and ladies, don’t worry about being left out of the competition because DeJesus said there’s two categories for women in the championships.
“One is artistic-realistic which means they basically make a beard that looks like a real beard,” he said. “Then there’s artistic creative, which means they can go crazy and make whatever kind of beard they want to make.”
Every year since the championships have been held, the league picks a charity to donate money from ticket sales to and this year, all proceeds go toward the Richmond Fisher House, which provides lodging to the families of veterans receiving treatment at the McGuire VA Hospital, at no cost.
In the past, DeJesus said they’ve raised $12,000 for Safe Harbor as well as donations for Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Disabled Veterans of America. This year, he said they’re hoping to raise $15,000 for the Fisher House.
To help raise money, they’ve added little “sidekick” events centered around the championships. The league will host events all around town including one at The Answer Brewpub on Friday, a volunteer event at the Richmond SPCA and the Fisher House Saturday afternoon and a farewell brunch at District 5 on Sunday.
“We just try and raise as much as we can for the charity that’s what it’s all about for us, we don’t profit from it, we put everything out back to the charity,” he said.
Winners of the championships will receive custom-made trophies made out of railroad spikes. The “Best in Show” trophy will be especially sought after, with railroad spikes molded in the shape of a beard with three spikes that are molded to a plaque.
Tickets are $15 in advance for the 5th Annual Mid-Atlantic Beard and ‘Stache Championships which will be held this Saturday, April 30th, at the Canal Club. $20 at the door. Registration starts at 4 pm at the beard/mustache contest begins at 6 pm.
