After a weekend of holiday hustle and bustle, you can check out some beards, beer and bands. After all, Santa has a beard.
Arizona Beerd Fest kicks off at 4 p.m. this afternoon Sunday December 7, 2014 in the historic Rialto Theatre, downtown
Beards
The the six-category facial-hair competition will be category will be winner-take-all (no runners up) in each category. Awards will include Beerd Fest gold medals and gift certificates.
The hairy categories:
- Full neard – natural. (As grown, mustache integrated. No styling aids allowed.)
- Full neard – freestyle. (Styling aids allowed.)
- Partial neard. (Facial hair grown only on chin, upper and lower lip. Beard and mustache may be styled with or without aids. Mustache not required.)
- Mustache – natural. (May be styled but without aids.)
- Mustache – freestyle. (Styling aids allowed.)
- No-shave November beard. (Entrants must be clean-shaven or have no more than light stubble on Nov. 1. Judges will select best overall beard in this category. Entry was Nov. 1 at Borderlands Brewing Company.)
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To enter the competition, register from 4 to 6 p.m. today at The Rialto. There's no entry fee — just buy a ticket to the festival and sign up in the Rialto lobby. Entrants will be presented at about 7 p.m. and winners will be announced about 8 p.m.
Want to know the rules or get more info? Email info@azbeerdfest.com
The beer
Tucson-based Borderlands Brewing Company, PuebloVida in downtown Tucson, Oskar Blues Brewery from Colorado, SanTan Brewing Company from Chandler, and Durango, Colorado-based Ska Brewing will be serving samples of their brews.
Each festival ticket includes four beer samples and additional beer tickets are $1 each.
The bands
The local bands and DJs performing — all with at least one member sporting facial hair — include:
- Hey, Bucko, an instrumental trio thamelds spaghetti western soundtrack, blues and folk
- The Modeens, which convert classic elements of rock-n-roll, '60s psychedelia and garage to an updated, modern sound.
- Sonario, Los Angeles-native living in Arizona, is a producer/remixer/DJ who fills dancefloors.
All of this frivolity has a purpose: Arizona Beerd Fest supports men’s health and cancer prevention and research. A portion of the event's proceeds to go to:
- No Shave November, a web-based, nonprofit organization devoted to growing cancer awareness and supporting prevention, research, education and support.
- The Movember Foundation, a global organization that seeks to save and improve the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental-health problems.
- The nonprofit Rialto Theatre Foundation.
