Downtown Youngstown hosts Burgers and Beards Festival

By SARAH Lehr

slehr@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Burgers and Beards

Gallery

Burgers and Beards festival taking place in downtown Youngstown.

Todd Dupler and John Hamblen drove about five hours from Cincinnati for the Burgers and Beards Festival.

Dupler wore a black fedora and a Mad Viking Beard and Mustache Co. T-shirt to complement his crimped, ginger-colored beard and full mustache.

Hablen sported a cropped mustache and medium-length brunette beard, split into two segments at the chin.

Though it was their first time in Youngstown, the bewhiskered buddies frequently travel for beard competitions and plan to attend the 2017 World Beard and Mustache Championships in Austin, Texas.

For the second year, downtown Youngstown is playing host to the Burgers and Beards Festival, formerly known as the Burgers, Beards and Brews Festival.

Admission to the fleecy festivities is $5. Proceeds benefit the Purple Cat, an organization dedicated to adults with developmental disabilities, and the Rich Center for Autism.

The event, which began at 5:30 p.m. Friday and will kick off at noon today, includes live music and refreshments.

Vendors will have the opportunity to test their mettle today via the Battle of the Burgers, judged by The Vindicator’s own Burger Guys. There will also be a car show today, hosted by the Youngstown Thunder.

Amy Rigby, a coordinator for the Purple Cat, sold artwork and vintage trinkets at the festival Friday. She said she was charmed by the hirsute happenings.

“It’s definitely the weirdest event in Youngstown,” she said.

Ron Sowers of Wellston, Ohio, showcased items from his online specialty store, The Bearded Pup.

Sowers, who wears a lengthy salt-and-pepper beard and a handlebar mustache, sells grooming items including tiny beard combs and beard oils and pomades.

Both amateur and experienced beard-owners are welcome to face-off for fuzzy competition from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. today at the Rust Belt Whisker Society’s annual beard and mustache tournament.

The 14 competition categories range from mutton chops to goatees to anything-goes “freestyle” beards. Children and female “whiskerinas” are welcome to enter artificial facial hair.

“You don’t have to be a biker to have a beard,” said Don Harshbarger, Rust Belt Whisker Society member. “You don’t have to be a hippie. I work in an office.”

Harshbarger noted he recently cut 4 inches from his own, still-florid, beard.

“It’s hair; it’s here,” he said. “It’s furniture for your face.”