Tonight’s MC — a man whose dark brown beard curves out and up from the middle of his chin, the same shape as his thick mustache — drinks from a horn (yes, a horn) he has tethered to the belt that holds up his kilt. On this October evening, the smell of craft beard oil hangs in the air as WhiskerMania kicks off its second year. Presented by a group called the Derby City Whisker Club, the bearded and mustachioed have come to the Tim Faulkner Gallery in the Portland neighborhood to compete in some 20 categories, including styled mustache, chops and 12-plus-inch natural beard. Behind a curtain in the corner, competitors prep for the judges, waxing and blow-drying their facial hair into place. They take the stage through a curtain and enter a mini wrestling ring. As in professional wrestling, many come out in character: the preppy golfer, Old Man Winter, a Civil War general, ZZ Top lookalike, Napoleon Dynamite. A woman walks by with a full beard and a red cape — presumably acting as both Little Red Riding Hood and the huntsman — making her a strong contender for the “fake realistic” category.
Photos by Adam Mescan
