At our morning editorial board meetings, we discuss serious stuff, of course, but often our conversations veer into unexpected, lighter topics. Yesterday, I told my colleagues about my husband accidentally shaving off part of his beard which led to his story about his father being "arrested" in Sioux City decades ago during a summer celebration in which the men of the town grew beards and were fined and placed in "jail" for shaving them off before the end of the celebration days. Tony's father, an ultra serious lawyer, was nabbed after accidentally shaving the morning of a big trial.

I had never heard of this kind of town event, but Doug Floyd knew it right away. He said: "Whiskerino Days."

So I googled it and most references were to the past, when these corny civic events happened in many towns across the country. One town, Madera, California, keeps it alive still.

The Whiskerino Posse will be out to arrest any clean shaven gentleman in celebration of Old Timer's Week from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 25th through Thursday, September 27th. 'Stay Out of Jail' buttons will be sold for $5.00 each and available at the Madera County Museum. -- From the Madera Chamber of Commerce Web site.

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Any memories of Whiskerino Days or other town celebrations from summers past? And what have we lost by doing away with some of the cornier traditions?

Our blog lines are open.

(Photo from Spokesman-Review photo archives)

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