Don’t cut the beard or mustache just yet, the Bad Ass Beard Contest for Autism will be held Feb. 22 at Legends Pub.
Cape Beard is a 501(c)3 nonprofit foundation that raises funds for different charities. Steve Brack, Vice President of Cape Beard, discussed further about the event.
There are different facial hair categories where the beards, goatees, and mustaches can come in different designs and lengths.
The event is not just for men. They also have the “Whiskerina” category. This is for the ladies to get creative and make a beard out of different, everyday objects. Examples from past Cape Beard competitions have included a crochet beard, bottle caps beard or a yarn beard. Brack said this is the category for utilizing one’s imagination.
When asked why do a fundraiser for autism, Brack said, “We have club brothers and friends that have children with autism, and the Club decided to assist in this area.”
Over the years, they have raised funds for the Autism Society for Cumberland County, KidsPeace, Fayetteville Hyperbarics and more.
For 2025, the money raised will go to the School of Hope of Fayetteville, a school for autistic children K-12, located at 111 Burns Street.
Cape Beard has been doing this competition since 2018, and they have teamed up with Legends Pub. Legends Pub started it. Cape Beard does the cooking and comes up with creative names for food, like Beard Burgers and Stache Dogs. Since 2018, the contest has raised over $7,000.
“We’re hoping everyone sees the camaraderie of the facial hair community and has a great time,” Brack said. “People come out of town for this.”
Registration starts at 6 p.m. and the contest will start around 7 p.m.
Brack said people interested in attending can stay up to date by checking Legend Pub’s Facebook.

(Photo: Two contestants in a Cape Beard contest show off their creativity with their beards. Cape Beard is a non-profit who encourages men, women, and children to show off their beards. Photo courtesy of Cape Beard)