The Final Announcement

The Record Stands

As of March 21, 2024, the Guinness World Records title for the most hair donated to charity in 24 hours stands at 339.14 pounds of hair.

In a valiant effort, The Great Cut 2024 donated 219.36 pounds of hair to Children With Hair Loss—good enough for third place in the scrolls of history, but well short of a new world record.

Compared to 2019, there were over 100 more hair donors in person (452!). However, despite an intensive east coast media strike, we received fewer mail-in donations (790 compared to 1,100+), and fewer bulk donations from salons.

It Was No Less Great

While we didn’t break the record, by all accounts it was a glorious attempt.

Over 40 sponsors, 790 mail-in donors, 452 in-person donors, 431 general attendees, nearly 60 hair stylists & barbers, and almost 100 volunteers made this day unforgettable for all who participated.

Our musical guests provided a superb backdrop to the day while elevating the energy to levels beyond expectations. All this gracefully navigated by the humor and grandeur of a true master of ceremonies, Jefferson Jay.

Setbacks Early

The day kicked off with a massive power failure in the facility. Clippers sat lifeless as we ran frantically between power cables and cutting stations, trying to diagnose the problem. A city engineer arrived an hour later, flipped a few switches, a quick whiff of ozone—and we were finally in the hair cutting business.

By then our Cutting Zone line was well out the door and winding beyond comprehension. We were off to the races, but simply could not recover, despite the hair cutters working at a finger-blistering pace.

After-Action Review

While the power outage knocked us down, other issues became evident, issues that could have been mitigated going into an event of this magnitude. We have lived, and we have learned.

The biggest such area was the recruitment and preparation of hair professionals. For all kinds of reasons we simply didn’t get enough folks involved. Combined with the power outage, this became an acute problem. Many stylists worked for eight or ten hours or longer, many doing over 30 haircuts, all without adequate rest breaks or even a bite to eat. They hung in there, and we owe them big time.

The process and flow in the Cutting Zone was another issue. With lines backed up to oblivion, hair donors and guests didn’t have the experience we had meticulously planned for them. Many waited in line for four hours or longer 😖.

At the front gate, a single line for all guests, hair cutters, volunteers and general attendees created a bottleneck and confusion at check-in. It was a jungle out there.

And parking. Was awful.

The Magic Was There

Despite these issues and more, the magic and the love was ever-present, overcoming all challenges. Steadfast, caring and resolute, the hair professionals hung in there, under duress for HOURS, and got every single haircut done without complaint.

Folks waited patiently in line, with superb attitudes, making friends and greeting passersby, drinking cocktails and basking in the last moments of long hair livin.

Bands played, vendors vended, and memories were made even before we blew through three kegs in two hours, calling for an emergency beer run to Ballast Point and our Henebery connection.

Without question the biggest win was every person who gave of themselves; and that was everyone. Whether it was hair, or time, treasure, talent, travel or more, and they gave more, every individual involved with The Great Cut made a personal sacrifice…to put something extraordinary into the world.

All our success, and the love, joy, gratitude, mirth and camaraderie was punctuated by an official proclamation, presented by the Honorable Todd Gloria, the 37th Mayor of the City of San Diego; the State of California, by Mayoral Decree, and affixed with the Seal of America’s Finest City, declaring March 16, 2024 to be “The Longhairs Day” in the City of San Diego.

And it was indeed our day.

An Envisioned Future
“Now With NO Lines!”

We look back and can’t help but visualize what The Great Cut could have been and should be someday—should there be some day.

Our first focus will be on the hair professionals, starting with a much earlier recruitment effort. Think priority parking, a dedicated stylist green room, with complimentary snacks and beverages, rest breaks, badges, advance meetups, get-to-know-you’s, pre-training, game-planning and more. A true VIP experience.

Envision a cutting zone divided into specialty areas. One dedicated zone just for sectioning and braiding. Then head shaves, styled cuts and barber cuts all in their designated sections. An SMS notification when it’s time for your haircut, so each hair donor can experience the event in all its glory.

Imagine a smoother check-in experience, with separate lines, making the process quicker and more enjoyable, and with FREE and AMPLE PARKING FOR EVERYONE!

It’s like we can see the ideal vision of The Great Cut in our mind’s eye…but do we possess the fortitude to carry it out?

Our Gratitude

Before we look too far ahead, we must extend our most heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make The Great Cut 2024 special:

Our sponsors, the Children With Hair Loss staff, Reva Events and staff, Suzie Bond, Emily Buckwalter, Sheila Tost (MOM), every stylist, barber and hair professional, mail-in hair donors, in-person hair donors, friends & families who supported a donor, general attendees, registered volunteers, military volunteers, repeat TGC participants, each of our talented performers, vendors and staff, food & beverage providers and staff, Master of Ceremonies Jefferson Jay, Laura Evans Media and staff, Sun Outdoors, The Port Pavilion, The City of San Diego and Mayor Todd Gloria, Mark Cuban, our families, our friends, and every single person, group and organization who made a contribution.

Our Goal

It is our goal to host the ideal vision and the next chapter of The Great Cut on Saturday, March 16, 2030.

Several things must happen in the meantime. First off, and speaking frankly here, we need to finish paying for this one. Next, The Longhairs’ business will need to be in a stronger position to withstand another such undertaking.

We’ll need the existing support from our sponsors, and lots more big-time help. And we must keep alive the groundswell of overwhelming commitment from the people around the world who are down to cut their hair.

Thus chief among these requirements…is we all need to grow our hair back! As each of the members of The Longhairs embarks upon his new hair journey, we will be living through it together, with every imaginable insight, pain point, strategy and tactic for powering through the awkward stage at The Center for Awkward Stage Hair.

Grow your hair, hold The Great Cut in your heart, and keep the dream alive.