News Release
Bearded Gentlemen Go for Gold in Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska – May 23, 2009 – Nearly 300 gentlemen from 13 countries are in Anchorage, Alaska, today flaunting their hairy faces at the 2009 World Beard and Moustache Championships (WBMC). Competition runs from 2 – 10 p.m. at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center.
There are 17 officially sanctioned categories: eight styles of mustache, four varieties of partial beard/goatee, and five kinds of full-beard. The World Beard and Moustache Association’s goal is to promote the appreciation of beards and moustaches through events and competitions that encourage friendships among those with beards and moustaches.
The first World Beard and Moustache Championship took place in Höfen-Enz, Germany in 1990. By 1995, the Championship had grown into a biennial gathering, held in various European countries. Carson City, Nevada, was the first non-European city to host the group in 2003. Anchorage, Alaska, is only the second U.S. destination ever to host the event. Brighton, England, hosted the last WBMC event in September 2007, during which Beard Team USA unexpectedly mounted a serious challenge to the dominant Germans, taking first in five of the categories.
Friday, contestants dressed in full regalia participated in numerous events, including a beard parade through downtown that ended with a welcome rally and kick-off event in Peratrovich Park.
WBMC is estimated to contribute $487,080 to the Anchorage economy. The host for this event is the Southcentral Alaska Beard and Moustache Club, which is committed to making the 2009 competition the biggest and best ever.
For more information, visit www.anchorage.net/worldbeard.
The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (ACVB) mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage as a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by lodging associations. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund, a contribution established in 1978, and one-third to service the bond debt and operations of the Anchorage Convention Centers. ACVB receives no state or federal funds. Explore www.Anchorage.net.
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Media Contacts:
Jeanette Anderson Moores
Public Relations
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
jmoores@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118
Explore www.Anchorage.net
