Beards have been a growing part of Festival du Voyageur tradition since the annual winter festival started 49 years ago, but a local historical interpreter says it's only modern-day voyageurs who wear hair on their faces. Claire Sparling says her research shows voyageurs didn't actually have beards. A judge at Festival du Voyageur's 2018 Beard Growing Contest takes a feel of a beard. While they didn't have much room for personal items on their trips, a razor was among the few items voyageurs carried around. The Festival du Voyageur's annual Beard Growing Contest has grown into one of the festival's most popular events over the years.

Source: CBC News February 18, 2018 13:41 UTC