Minnesota was awarded “Most Hipster State” in 2011. Turns out, living up to the title isn’t as easy as we thought. Even with the recent surge of microbreweries, year-round bikers, and local co-ops, we needed more to maintain our status.
And who else but First Avenue to save the day with their now-annual event, the Minnesota Beard-off.
On Saturday night, this uber-manly beauty, er, beard contest will crown one burly lumberjack-wannabe Best Beard in the State.
Winner of the 2012 International German Beard
and Mustache Championship
Judges for the night include: Dustin Black, a creator at Mono advertising in Uptown; Jon Friedman, a beard competitor since he was the ripe age of 19 (to the great envy of all his peach-fuzz-faced fellow freshies, no doubt); and Courtney McLean, an actress, writer, musician, and reputable beard expert. Beards will be judged on a lot of things (density, kissability, age, manliness), but let’s be honest: in this competition, size definitely matters.
Just because you can’t grow a beard doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the battle of furry faces. Women and eternally smooth-faced men can enter into the freestyle competition, where homemade beards made from whatever you please (channel your inner kindergartener and dig into that glitter, bag of cotton balls, newspaper clippings, etc. etc.) will be judged for prizes.
Silverback Colony, a beard-clad twang-alternative country band, will provide live music during the competition.
Oh, and did we mention the night’s champion will be one step closer to the World Beard and Mustache Championships? We’re serious: that is a real thing.
Minnesota Beard-Off
Saturday, February 9
Doors open at 8 p.m. Contest at 9 p.m.
18+
7th Street Entry at First Ave., 701 First Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-8388
first-avenue.com
