Big beards, long beards, bushy beards and clean-cut beards were all present at the first night of the second annual Okanagan Beard Festival.

And this year, the festival, which runs six nights over the course of weeks, brought 48 entries – an increase over last year’s numbers. 

"A lot of the guys that were here last year came back, brought a lot of friends, good house for the Cannery, lots of excitement, lots of fun," organizer Peter Beauchamp said.

Organizers attribute this year’s growth to last year’s success.

"It just carried on through the whole year, people have been asking about the next one since the last one," Beauchamp said.

And among the contestants, there’s no shortage of confidence.

"Feeling like I have the most majestic beard of the bunch," contestant Jeremy Shepherd said. "I've had a beard for the better part of 20 years, so, nothing new. It's not my first rodeo."

Others did have reservations, though, when they looked at some of the other beards in the room.

"I placed second last year to that long-bearded fellow ... and his beard hasn't gotten any shorter," a man who goes by Redbeard said. "We're going to have to get creative, I think.

"Something artistic, I think, we've got to go over the top."

The competition is intended to support local businesses – particularly local pubs – and local charity, with proceeds going toward the drug and alcohol recovery program at Discovery House.