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Bavarian BeardIn 2009, the American Festivals Project headed to the World Beard and Mustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. Every other year, the weeklong event draws young and old hirsute competitors from around the world, vying for awards in arenas such as Sideburns/Muttonchops, Full Natural Beard, and Dalí Mustache. The contest began in Germany two decades ago and has since been held in the U.S. and countries across Europe. The current champions: Americans, with 12 medals and a best in show win in Anchorage.
Here, a competitor from Bavaria shows off wallet photos that document his progress from a clean-shaven youth to today's woolly warrior. Read more about the World Beard and Mustache Championships on the American Festivals Project blog.

Photograph by Ross McDermott, American Festivals Project

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World Beard and Mustache Championships

See photos of the 2009 World Beard and Mustache Championships in Anchorage, Alaska, in this American Festivals Project travel photo gallery from National Geographic.

Published April 5, 2010