THE first Hairy Man Festival of “freakishly good beards” entertained families with a mix of live music and inventive facial fuzz at the weekend.

The boutique event, held in a field near Julian’s Bridge in Wimborne, featured a host of entertainment acts and rides for children, while the Handle Bar and Mirco Murkin Bar provided a selection of craft beers and ciders for mums and dads and other beard wearers.

On two stages, the Top Hat Main Stage and Moustache Marquee Bar, bands including Remedy Sounds, the Baker Brothers and Saints of Sin played to lively audiences over the course of the three-day event.

Organiser Marianne Brown, owner of the BriT bar in Ashley Cross, said: “I have been talking about organising this event for the last three years. I have organised a lot of outdoors events and I wanted to do a festival by the time I reached 40.

“And when you have been talking about something for so long, you have to do it. I have never done anything quite as big as this before.

“I was surprised how many people did turn up, what with the Dorset Steam Fair running at the same time. We had a lot of campers who seemed to have a lovely time.

“It has been brilliant and I am hoping to run it next year and on into the future.”

While fabulous facial hair was not a requirement of attendance at the festival, there were plenty of well groomed beards and taches on display, and a competition was held on Sunday to determine the best beard.

“Beards are quite fashionable these days, and there were some beautiful groomed beards out there over the weekend,” said Ms Brown. “It is amazing the amount of effort people have to put into them.

“'Hairy man’ was my nickname at school, because it apparently rhymes with Marianne. I thought it would make a nice quirky theme for the event.”

Refreshments were provided by the Camp Cooks, a group of – drag queens who blend cookery with gags and music, as well as stalls from local businesses.

Music acts included local DJ Martyn the Hat, Bournemouth ukulele bank the Mother Ukers and East London DJ Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, among a mix of dance, soul and rock performers.