A celebration of the often-maligned but enduring mullet hairstyle commenced on Monday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
The distinctive “business in the front, party in the back” coiffure, once synonymous with Canadian ice hockey players and hair metal bands, was expected to attract dozens of competitors.
Categories included children under five, throwback mullets, and the Flow of Freedom Award.
Seven-year-old Ben Barley, from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, arrived early, proudly wearing a T-shirt stating ‘MULLET LIFE 6-7’. He told reporters he had been cultivating his hairstyle for two years.
Though the hairstyle itself is ancient, the Oxford English Dictionary attributes the popularisation of the term mullet to hip hop legends the Beastie Boys, via their 1994 track ‘Mullet Head’ from the album Ill Communication. The dictionary describes the term as slang, humorous, and “frequently derogatory.”
Now in its third year, the contest is notable for being one of the few at the fair open to participants from outside Pennsylvania.
A mullet competition isn’t unique to Pennsylvania, as they’ve gained popularity all over the world. Australia hosts a mulletfest in Kurri Kurri, which travels around the country and entry is available to all.
A popular event in the US is the USA Mullet Championship, which donates proceeds to a good cause. One hundred percent of the donations raised by the competitors are given back to Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors.
The organization focuses on providing homes to Veterans who were wounded in combat. These homes are mortgage-free, injury-specific, and safely built to ensure independence.
All contestants compete to raise donations and votes throughout the competition. There are multiple rounds that the contestants must pass to make it to the finals.
A $10,000 cash prize is awarded to the winner of each division. These divisions include kids, teens and adults. But most importantly, they get to claim the title “Mullet Champion.”