The Battle of the Barbers is Back with the Return of Official Hair Wars Las Vegas on June 16
Local founder also offers free haircuts with the first-ever Fades 4 Kids during the event
The best barbers in the biz are set to compete in a variety of categories including Fast Fade, Creative, Female Barber, Traditional, Freestyle Design, Tag Team and more, live in Las Vegas at Official Hair Wars 2019. Held on Sunday, June 16 at 2 p.m. at The Orleans Hotel and Casino, this annual event brings together the industry leaders for a show of fierce competition, hot trends and fun. The public is invited to witness the cutting-edge hairstyle competition while cheering on their favorites, see the best new hair trends, see live demonstrations, visit top vendors and participate in a variety of giveaways throughout the evening. Tickets for the general public are $25 and are on sale now through Eventbrite and Official Hair Wars.
For the first year, Official Hair Wars founder, Louie Merlot, adds a charity component to the event, Fades 4 Kids. Stemming from his travels to Mexico to cut hair for young kids at orphanages, Merlot wanted to extend the same opportunity to Las Vegas residents who are having financial hardships to get free haircuts for their children ages 5 - 13. The first-ever Fades 4 Kids, will be the same day as Hair Wars from noon – 4 p.m. Families can start lining up at 10 a.m. inside the ballroom area of the Orleans and all names must be in by 3 p.m. to guarantee a spot for a complimentary kids haircut. Please note, requests must be limited to simple styles and no one over 13 or under 5 years old will be admitted for free haircuts. The first 100 kids in line will also receive a free goodie bag of hair products and more. The community is also asked to support this event by bringing school supply items which will be provided to kids in need following the event.
“Not only is this a fun community event to showcase the top-notch talent we have here in Las Vegas, but also give back to the local families who support us on a regular basis,” says Merlot. “One of my greatest achievements is giving free haircuts to kids in need, and I’m happy to have such great barber friends in the city who allow me to give back locally in Vegas.”
For the fourth year, barbers are invited to throw their razor into the ring and compete for cash prizes and top honors at the hair show from 2-9 p.m. A full schedule and registration information is available online at www.officialhairwars.com. Educational classes will be available 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for an additional fee. The competition is hosted by Louie Merlot and Blendzino, with special appearances from guest judges including Monster Eddie Jr., Jose Sosa, MarDaBarber, Papito Blessed Hands, Lou Da Barber, Jesse Elite, Jake Shipwreck and Angela Nguyen.
Merlot was recently nominated as entrepreneur of the year by the prestigious Connecticut Barber Expo for his charitable work in the industry and founding the hair care/cutting line, Motiv Pro. Motiv Pro, now a mainstay in a variety of local barbershops, features a variety of industry products including straight razors, brushes and combs, as well as shaving and styling products.
Official sponsors of Hair Wars include Motiv Pro, illuzien, Faction Las Vegas, Anointed Skin, Showcase Barbers, Hanzo Shears, Barber Society and The Orleans Hotel and Casino.