If you’re out and about this weekend in downtown Bangor, make sure you wear a wig.
Pile your head high with ginger curls, a bright pink afro, a mullet, bouffant or bob — the Winter WigOut Weekend hopes to see the streets full of funky hairdos.
Several locals are planning three wigged-out events to help Bangor residents beat cabin fever, starting with Wigtopia at the University of Maine Museum of Art from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. Snacks, beer, wine, wig-themed games, such as toss the hair bun, prizes for most outrageous wig and party tunes by local disc jockey Baby Bok Choy will round out the kickoff event for the weekend.
The event has a suggested donation of $7 and offers not only fun but funds for a cause — the donations will support art programs at UMMA.
The Winter WigOut Weekend is new to Bangor and started with some of Bangor’s own businesspeople.
“It was a very grass-roots effort,” George Kinghorn, director and curator of UMMA and one of the organizers of the event, said. “It was getting together and saying, ‘Let’s make something happen that’s lighthearted, quirky and fun and a way to get people out and about during the winter.’”
Participants are welcome to take a look around at the museum, where they’ll find some displayed art that coincides with the event.
“There’s a nice connection to the collection, so we installed some of our works that have focus on hair and hairstyles, like Andy Warhol’s image of Farrah Fawcett. … We thought it was a neat way to bring in some new faces to the museum,” Kinghorn said.
Amy and Lance Blackstone, who will host The Winter WigOut Dance Party, were two others who helped create the weekend of tomfoolery. On Saturday, the party will encourage the community to shake off the cold from 8 to 11 p.m. at 58 Main St. Attendees can expect DJ Thermomatt, dancing, beer and custom cocktails.
An enormous papier-mache wig, reminiscent of Marie Antoinette’s updo, will be available to try on and take photos with at Wigtopia at UMMA and at the dance party at 58 Main St. Kat Johnson of UMMA, one of the organizers of the event, helped create the wig.
The weekend will conclude with a Wigtastic Brunch at Blaze starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The restaurant will donate 10 percent of all food sales to UMMA’s exhibition and educational programming.
Penobscot Theatre Company is even offering wig rentals from their seemingly endless supply of costume hair for $25 for the week, so if you don’t have one on hand, there’s always someone to turn to, namely Emma Dean, who works for PTC. If you’re looking for something more permanent, Retro Swagger at 10 Harlow St. has some wigs in stock for purchase.
But Kinghorn says everyone, wig or not, is welcome — as long as they’re older than 21.
“Even if you don’t have a crazy wig, you can still come out and be part of it,” he said.
For more information, visit facebook.com/Winter-Wig-Out-Weekend-984356014935081/.
