Dubbo Dads Learn Braids Over Beers at Viral-Inspired Event

When mechanic Chris Delaney posted about a dad-focused hairstyling class in Dubbo, Australia, his Facebook exploded with responses from fathers eager to learn.

Some dads were ready to improve their existing skills. Others admitted they'd never picked up a hairbrush before.

The "Beers and Braids" events are Australia's answer to the viral "pints and ponytails" trend sweeping social media worldwide. These pub nights combine casual drinks with crash courses in ponytails, plaits, and detangling techniques, all taught on practice mannequins.

Brett Power joined the inaugural Dubbo event hoping to stop his two young daughters from yelling at him during hair brushing sessions. "Hopefully it also means they don't need their mum to always do their hair and they'll ask dad for help sometimes," he said.

Hairstylist Shantelle Mayne led the evening, teaching fundamentals like the spray bottle trick and always starting from the bottom when working out knots. She made sure every dad learned to use matching hair tie colors, a detail young girls notice immediately.

The basics came first, but some fathers pushed themselves to try advanced braiding styles. Mayne said she passed everyone in the class.

Delaney already does ponytails for his one-year-old daughter, who wears them proudly all day. He looks forward to trying more complex styles as her hair grows longer.

Sunny's Take

This heartwarming trend goes deeper than hairstyling tutorials. Mayne explained that hair becomes a huge part of young girls' identity and self-expression, and when dads participate in that ritual, they set a powerful example.

"Dads being a part of that sets a really high standard of how girls and then teenagers and women should expect to be treated," Mayne said. Watching mechanics and tradesmen carefully practice braids on mannequins was genuinely moving.

The gatherings create safe spaces for fathers to connect over parenting challenges while learning domestic skills traditionally labeled as maternal work. For men in rural communities where such conversations can be rare, these events offer both practical skills and emotional support.

Given the overwhelming response, Delaney plans to organize more sessions and make them available to everyone interested. Similar events are already popping up across Australia as the movement gains momentum.

These dads are proving that building strong father-daughter bonds can start with something as simple as learning to braid hair over a beer with friends.