As the con wound down on Sunday, attendees gathered at the Hyatt to measure their badge beards. Dragon Con’s badge beards are long chains of badge ribbons affixed to the bottom of badges. There is no set length for a badge beard, and they can be as short as just one ribbon. Beards range from modest to gargantuan, with some attaching hundreds of ribbons to their badges.

The Daily Dragon spoke to several beard-wearers about the phenomenon. Julia Schucker caught ribbon fever after she received a ribbon at the beginning of con. She enjoys exchanging ribbons with those she meets at con, from audience seatmates to friendly cosplayers. She remarked that Dragon Con’s friendly atmosphere encourages ribbon culture. Those who bring ribbons may trade with others for ribbons or swag, but many give out ribbons without expecting anything in return. The spirit of generosity encourages attendees to begin collecting and perpetuates the cheeriness of the convention environment.

Ben Lehrer fell into ribbon-collecting last year and decided to print ribbons ahead of Dragon Con 2024. Lehrer integrated ribbons into his cosplay. Admirers of each day’s cosplay received special themed ribbons relating to the cosplays. As Lehrer gave out ribbons, he received many ribbons in return, so he decided to start a beard with his new collection.

Annie Lavinsky was brought to Dragon Con by her friend, Liz Kim. Kim urged Lavinsky to make the most of her first Dragon Con. Both women collected ribbons with fervor, deciding to build beards with their new stashes. Lavinsky remarked that Dragon Con was her first exposure to the badge beard phenomenon and that the trend was charming.

Josh Korshek has been attending Dragon Con since 2012, but this is the first year that he’s collected ribbons. He found ribbons to be not only plentiful but ubiquitous at the con. He quickly began collecting ribbons with his con group of longtime friends. They encountered a wide variety of designs featuring media properties, pithy sayings, and quirky in-jokes. Korshek enjoyed finding ribbons that aligned with his hobbies and sense of humor.

If ribbon collecting and badge beard competitions sound like something you want to participate in next Dragon Con, seek out the Dragon Con Loyal Order of the Ribbon on Facebook for hints, tips, tricks, and year-round community.