Jun 5, 2013

Baltimore Honfest through the years

Robert Hamilton 0 Comment Maryland, The Baltimore Sun Baltimore's Best Hon Contest, beehive, beehive hairdo, curlers, Hamden, Hon Fest, HonFest, leopard print, Little Miss Hon, spandex

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The Baltimore’s Best Hon Contest began in 1994. The term Hon is actually a friendly Baltimore greeting and comes from the word honey. However, the women who vie to become Baltimore’s Best Hon are a vision of the sixties-era women with beehive hairdos, blue-eye-shadow, spandex pants and something, anything with leopard print.

: Autumn Benwell, 10, Carney, smiles before she and other girls take the stage in the Miss Honette 2012 contest on the first day of Honfest. She went on to win. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: Ali Cataggio of Aberdeen has a good time at Honfest 2011. (Joe Soriero/Baltimore Sun)

: Margaret Swetz, Karen Condor, and Kim Tatum at Honfest 2011. (Joe Soriero/Baltimore Sun)

: Barbara Lilly and Christine Gamble put their own twist on Hon Hairdos: (Joe Soriero /Baltimore Sun)

: The Harbor City Music Company Performs at Honfest 2011. (Joe Soriero/Baltimore Sun)

: Sandy Norman attends Honfest 2011. (Joe Soriero/Baltimore Sun)

: Ronda Sharman, Upper Marlboro and her mother, Joan Sharman, Hughesville, pose for photos outside Cafe Hon. Joan was born and grew up in Baltimore. They are attending Honfest 2011. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: With gum in cheek and flamingo in tow, Madison Gauger, 3, Glen Burnie, holds up her trophy. She is competing in the Li’l Miss Hon competition. All contestants tied so they all received trophies. Honfest 2011. (Kim Hairston /Baltimore Sun)

: Madalen Boas was excited to receive her trophy in the Lil’ Miss Hon Contest at Honfest 2011. (Joe Soriero/Baltimore Sun)

: Stacy Bucklew sported an umbrella at Honfest 2011. (Joe Soriero/Baltimore Sun)

: Elliana Fetsko of St. Mary’s County, judges the 2011 Baltimore’s Best Hon contest during Honfest Sunday, June 12, 2011 in Hampden. (Photo by Steve Ruark)

: Before the competition, eventual Bawlmer Hon winner Mary Ellen Wade of Baltimore holds baked goods she created for the talent competition at the 2010 Baltimore Hon Fest, held on The Avenue in Hampden. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)

: Bawlmer Hon contestant Meagan Lewns struts around the stage at the 2010 Baltimore Hon Fest, held on The Avenue in Hampden. (Barbara Haddock Taylor /Baltimore Sun)

: Susa “Hon-zilla” Taylor, left, and Marla Arnie, right, enjoy HonFest from a Baltimore doorstep as they take in the sights, sounds, and smells of Hon Fest 2010. (Kitty R Charlton/BSMG)

: Charly Rosemary, left, and Thomas Ware, right, both of Hamilton, pose for photos on 36th Street as they get their “Hon” on at Hampden’s HonFest 2010. (Kitty R Charlton/BSMG)

: Kelly Evick, left and Alison Elliott of Baltimore stand in the shadow of a large pink flamingo adorning the facing of the building at the annual 2009 Honfest . (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Dana Bontemps of New York gets a touchup of lipstick from Larisa Kamp of Baltimore, who encouraged her to experience the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Cathy Jo Dunivon of Swoope, VA (leopard top) and Christine Gormley of Bivalve, MD yellow bead necklace) and Cathy Crymes of Ithaca, NY (heart-shaped glasses) react to other contestants filling the crowded stage for “Baltimore’s Best Hon” at the annual 2009 Honfest. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Wearing a pink flamingo hat (a Baltimore symbol of plastic yard flamingos) is a spectator who eyes contestants for “Baltimore’s Best Hon” at the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton

: Debbie Holub, left, and Juli Williams, both of Pasadena, Md. are decked out in attire as they look at the surroundings at the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Suzanna Curtis, visiting from Chicago specifically for Honfest, takes a picture of what those involved call the world’s largest crab cake at the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Jen Blom of Glen Burnie Noelle Mack of Curtis on the Bay, who wound up making the top 10 finalists, watch other competitors come onto the crowded stage for “Baltimore’s Best Hon” at the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Jim Cupp, left, Brendan Schniedwind, 14 and Steve Schwartz work together behind the counter, dipping in to the claimed “world’s biggest crab cake,” at more than 250 pounds, selling them at $10 each at the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community Saturday, June 13, 2009. (Karl Merton Ferron /Baltimore Sun)

: Contestants stand on the crowded stage for “Baltimore’s Best Hon” at the annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Contestants stand on the crowded stage for “Baltimore’s Best Hon” at annual 2009 Honfest in the Hampden community. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: HarlieQuinn Coggins, 6, Northwest Baltimore, won second place in the Little Miss Hon Contest at Honfest ’08. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: (Second from left) Bertha Butt, aka Lisa Duke, Timonium, talks with (left) her “fraternal twin” Bernice Butt (Kate Mannherz, Rye Brook, NY) as they wait to appear on stage during round one of the Baltimore’s Best Hon Contest. Honfest ’08. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: “Trixxxie” aka Jackie Youngcort, Dundalk, helps her dog, Rico, wave to the crowds as contestants in round one of Baltimore’s Best Hon Contest prepare to leave the crowded stage during Honfest ’08. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: Sue Evert, right, fixes hair for her daughter Gabrielle Willey, 14, center, while Amanda Eick, 13 looks on. The girls were to enter Honette Contest. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Rita Moore, Wilson Point, 2003 Best Hon who calls herself the Queen Hon at HonFest. (Kim Hairston/[Baltimore Sun)

: Contestants in Bawlmer’s 2007 Best Hon Contest listen to what they have to do on stage. Top Ten finalists were chosen to compete tomorrow. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Megan McDermott, 9, left, and her sister Alison, 7, of Linthicum, took four hours to get decked out in the traditional “hon” attire before arriving in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore for Honfest ’07, on Saturday, June 9, 2007. “I’ve seen Attila the Hun (in the movie ‘Night at the Museum’),” said Alison, but she had never seen a Baltimore hon until the day of the festival. (Julie Kubal/BSMG)

: Carmyn Santoro, 4, left, and her cousin Halle Love, 6, right, take a break from their Lil’ Miss Hon Contest as part of HonFest. Carmyn won second place, and Carmyn’s sister was the winner for the Miss Honnett and their grandmother was a finalist for the Best Hon Contest. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Hairstylist Sue Ebert teases the hair of Lane Taber, 10, of Towson, to form the base of a beehive hairdo at Honfest ’07 in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, June 9, 2007. Ebert’s salon, Kumbyah, Inc., had a booth set up where a constant flow of clients received the celebrated hairstyle of the festival. (Julie Kubal/BSMG)

: Celine Goins shows off her hair on stage in the 2007 Hon contest. Top Ten finalists were chosen to compete the following day. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Lynne Hammel, of Baltimore, is a competitor in Bawlmer’s Best Hon Contest, the main event of Honfest ’07. Honfest celebrates the working women of Baltimore from the era when beehive hairdos were the fashion and folks greeted each other with a friendly “hey hon!” (Julie Kubal/BSMG)

: Contestants of Lil’ Miss Hon Contest as part of HonFest lined up on the stage. From Lt-Rt; Hallie Ingles, 6, Allison Rose, 6, Julie Rose, 5, and Kaylee Prestianni, 4. The Baltimore’s Best Hon Contest began in 1994. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Shannon Murray walks down on stage during the Best Hon contest in 2007. Top Ten finalists were chosen to compete the next day. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Judy Templeton (facing this way) gets a congratulation hug from Brenda Radtka for being chosen for the Top Ten finalists in the 2007 contest. They were chosen to compete tomorrow. The Baltimore’s Best Hon Contest began in 1994. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Elliana Fetsko, whose nickname is “Crabcakes,” left, reacts to the news that she has been crowned the 2007 “Bawlmer’s Best Hon,” at the 14th annual Honfest in Hampden, as the second place winner, Sanni Puhl, right, congratulates her. (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)

: 2003 Queen Hon Rita Moore enjoys watching the Best ‘Lil Hon Contest. HonFest 2006 took place in Hampden along 36th street with food and music and lots of beehive hairdos and leopard-print accessories. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Girls wait to go up on the stage to compete in the Honette Contest. HonFest 2006 took place in Hampden along 36th street with food and music. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: The contestants of the Honette Contest walk through the crowds to ready themselved to go up on the stage. HonFest 2006. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Danielle Lynch sports her skyrise bee hive getting ready for the “Hon” contest on Saturday in Hampden. Danielle Lynch is getting ready for the Honfest – contest for best “Hon.” she is pulling together her Hon costume, figuring out how to have really big hair and working on her makeup. (Monica Lopossay/Baltimore Sun)

: Julie Rose, 4, waits her turn to go up on the stage to enter Best ‘Lil Hon Contest. HonFest 2006 took place in Hampden along 36th street with food and music and lots of beehive hairdos and leopard-print accessories. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: (right) Jamie Smith, aka, Aquanetta, hams it up with (left) Daniel Raffel, aka, Rose from Sparrors Poin,t at the 2004 Hampden Honfest. (Monica Lopossay /Baltimore Sun)

: Rachel Graham, 11 (LT), and her sister Maria Graham, 7 (RT), 3 walk to a seat and wait to compete for the “MISS HONETTE 2005 CONTEST” and “LIL’ HON CONTEST”. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Jackie Gong, 21, Towson, has her hair styled into a beehive in the Glamour Lounge by Maurice Lease. Gong and friends are taking in Honfest ’08 on the Avenue in Hampden. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

: Elyse Collins, 3 of Pasadena, waits to file an entry for the “LIL’ HON CONTEST” for the first time. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: The girls wait for the judges to decide who won the crown in Best ‘Lil Hon Contest. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Three year old Jocelyn Jacobsen was overjoyed with the crowd and her 2nd place win in the “lil Hon” contest at the 2004 Hampden Honfest. (Monica Lopossay /Baltimore Sun)

: Jeanne Pugh shows off her best “Bawlmer” look at the “Honfest 2002” competition at Cafe Hon in Hampden. (Matt Houston/for The Sun)

: Maria Graham, 4, of Baltimore checks out her new “do” at the “Honfest 2002” competition at Cafe Hon in Hampden. (Matt Houston/for The Sun)

: Jackie Garcia aka “Madge Poopa” attains instant celebrity status after winning the “Honfest 2002” competition at Cafe Hon in Hampden. (Matt Houston/for The Sun)

: Children age from 3 to 7 wait to find out who won the “LIL’ HON CONTEST”. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Kaylee Prestianni, 3, of Baltimore and Chloe Ziegler, 3, of Towson pose for a photographer while they wait to compete in the “LIL’ HON CONTEST”. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: Sarah Huges, 10, (center) waits before she and her cousins go onto the 5th annual Best Hon Contest. They are from Hampden, hon. Sarah’s aunt Jane Schock (not in this photo) fixed her hair using a lampshade and wigs. Sarah’s grandma coached her and her cousins how to talk and walk like hons, you know. But it was quite hot and her beehive getting heavy, she was tired even before the contest began. (Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

: The10th annual Hon Fest in Hampden, celebrates “all things Bawlmer.” Riley Beveridge (left) spent the day dishing with best friend Madeline Komons (right, both three years old) about all the other Hons at the festival. (Monica Lopossay/Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore Honfest through the years

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