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Santa Barbara Dads Group Hosts Pints and Ponytails Event for Fathers
A Santa Barbara fathers group organized a sold-out event teaching men hair-braiding skills. The gathering is part of broader efforts by local dads clubs to build social connections after parenthood.
Los Angeles TimesAudio version
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Fifteen fathers attended a May 22 event at Captain Fatty's Brewery in Goleta where a cosmetologist demonstrated how to comb, braid, and tie ponytails using mannequin heads. The session also covered shampooing, detangling, and checking for lice. One participant, a real estate agent, said he gained confidence to style his daughter's hair at home.
A Costa Mesa resident started Orange County Dads in October 2023 after noticing fewer shared activities with friends following his son's birth. The group held meetups at coffee shops, beer halls, the zoo, and offered CPR classes. After relocating to Santa Barbara in April 2025, the same organizer launched Santa Barbara Dads in May 2025.
Both clubs aim to reduce isolation reported by new fathers. Studies cited in coverage note declines in social participation and well-being among fathers who spend less time with peers. One 2021 Karolinska Institute study found participants in father groups reported improved relationships with partners and children.
"They were talking about all this crazy fun or TV shows, and I was talking about my son being able to lift his head," the organizer said of conversations that prompted him to start the clubs. A Santa Barbara cosmetologist volunteered after seeing a social media post about the event.
She said multiple people contacted her requesting instruction. "I'm a husband, a dad and businessman, and it ends up being a lot of hats but very little support, at times," one attendee said.
