Facial hair reigns during Stache Pag '09

SATURDAY'S 'STACH PAG' SHOWCASED A CORNUCOPIA OF WHISKERS, BOTH GRAND AND HUMBLE.

Ahem. Sorry for yelling.

It's just that my ears are still ringing from the "audience applause" portion of the contest (the audience, you see, was abundant with its enthusiasm).

The Stache Pag is "dedicated to March Moustache Madness and the importance of men growing moustaches."

Why? Because they can.

Novare Res was packed to the ceilings for the 2009 Stache Pag. I'm not hyperbolizing here. There were, quite literally, people pressed up against the ceiling.

Amid the crowd lingered painted 'staches and twirled 'staches.

Delicate wisps of 'staches and full-on muttonchops.

For men who felt lacking among the sea of 'staches, paper "mustaches on a stick" helped bridge the gap.

And regardless of the shape or ferocity of the mustache, every contestant billowed with facial-hair pride.

The mustached contenders lined up based on three contest categories: The Magnum P.I., The Uncle Rico and The Thigh Tickler.

Judges based their scoring on areas such as: exemplification of category, fullness, grooming, touch and full ensemble.

Once the judges narrowed the field to four finalists, contestants participated in a handful of final-round competitions including the Stache Strut and Rapid-Fire Five-Second Statue.

And, of course, the Drink of Stout:

Crowd applause ultimately helped decide the winners - and applause there was. Along with whistling, screaming and overall woohooing. The room seemed to rattle with the explosive ovations.

Winners walked (or strutted) away with champion titles, mustache honor and a stellar trophy.

Albeit some fellows (and yes, a few women) probably spoke a solemn goodbye and shaved off their mustache companions the next morning. But the memories? Those will live forever.

Check out The Stache Pag website for details on the event.

More Stache Pag photos