Natalie Neysa Alund

nalund@tennessean.com

From Fu Manchu and goatee to sideburns and handlebar, scores of hairy-faced beardsman will descend on Nashville to sport their favorite facial designs this fall.

About 250 men (and some women) are expected to participate in the 7th annual U.S. National Beard and Mustache Championships held at the Ryman Auditorium Sept. 3 to face-off in the facial-hair frenzy in hopes of obtaining their very own prestigious national title.

Past year competitions, which have drawn spectators by the thousands, have been hosted in New Orleans, Portland, Ore., Lancaster, Penn., Bend, Ore. and Brooklyn, N.Y.

So why Nashville as this year's venue?

"We look for cities with a certain “wow” factor that makes bearding champions want to visit but will also make them feel right at home with their outrageous facial hair," said event producer Aaron Switzer. "Nashville fit the bill. The city is booming with on-trend beards and everyone is excited about the competition being in Music City."

The competition consists of 18 categories ranging from the simple Natural Goatee to the elegant Imperial Mustache. The grand prize: An all-expense paid trip to the November 2017 National Beard and Moustache Championships in Southern California.

Proceeds from this year's event in Nashville benefit the Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF)'s Hunters for the Hungry program, who over the 2015-16 white-tailed deer season, provided more than 570,000 meals to area food banks, soup kitchens and individuals.

Launched in 1998 by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, the program connects white-tailed deer hunters with area wild-game processors who prepare venison for free or at a reduced rate to the hunter.

“We’re thrilled and very grateful that the National Beard and Mustache Championship has chosen us as its beneficiary,” Hunters for the Hungry TWF Manager Matt Simcox said Wednesday. “The number of healthy, organic meals we can provide to Tennesseans in need is directly related to the gifts we receive from organizations and individuals across the state to pay for processing and associated costs."

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at 615-259-8072. Follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

​If you go:

What: The National Beard and Moustache Championships

Where: Ryman Auditorium, 116 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219

When: Sept. 3 at 8 p.m.

Tickets: $27