As if you even needed one, here's another good reason to spend this coming July 4 in Cape May: As part of celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's sail up the Delaware Bay, the city is holding a beard-growing contest. For "The Frolic Of The Beards," men will be judged in four categories:
Most Authentic Henry Hudson Style (pictured, left), Longest, Scraggliest and Best Overall Beard.
It's a throwback to the 350th anniversary to-do; the hirsute fellas pictured above are the 1959 contestants. These guys were all probably locals, but the rules don't specify who can enter, only "males, 18 and over, goatees and full beards." I'm thinking a team of Fishtowners with a summer house could pull off an upset if everybody stops shaving now.
