By Amanda Moses
The scent of freshly grilled hot dogs, sauerkraut, relish and an assortment of condiments on a barbeque are just a few of the tastes and smells that invoke cherished Fourth of July memories, but for others it’s the rallying call for an all-American holiday tradition—the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Championship.
Prior to the fast-paced eating venture, top ranked competitors from around the globe gathered with host and Master of Ceremonies (MC) George Shea at the Public Square and Gardens next to The Vessel at Hudson Yards to be certified for competition at the Official Weigh-In Ceremony. Contestants from Japan, England, Australia, Korea, Brazil and around the United States attended the ceremony, announcing that they were ready to devour as many hot dogs as humanly possible.
Since 1916, this competition has taken place at the iconic Nathan’s Famous flagship restaurant on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island (except during the height of the pandemic). On Tuesday, July 4th, a total of 16 men and 15 women vied for the championship title, which also promised $20,000 in cash prizes.
Thousands lined the boardwalk and side streets of Coney Island just to catch a glimpse of renowned champion 16-time winner Joey Chestnut who holds the record of eating the most hot-dogs in history (76 hot dogs in 10 minutes) and eight-time winner Miki Sudo (she has consumed 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes).
“Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest is an American holiday tradition like no other, and we are thrilled to be back on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues again,” said Phil McCann, Vice President of Marketing at Nathan’s Famous in a press release.
The holiday match was a complete whirlwind with Sudo competing neck-in-neck with Tokyo newcomer Mayo Ebihara, a social media influencer. In the end, Sudo won by consuming 39.5 hot dogs and Ebihara scarfed down 33.
Moments after the women’s competition was completed, and several performers entranced the crowd with musical renditions and dance routines loud cracks of thunder and grey clouds put a damper on the experience. A heavy downpour caused fans to flee to the nearby train station and store fronts while press and competitors found shelter in the building that houses Nathan’s restaurant.
After a two-hour delay, chants from die-hard fans in the pouring rain, Joey Chestnut and his fellow male competitors arose from the soggy trenches ready to battle. Chestnut fiercely gobbled 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes and while he didn’t beat his all-time record, he remains the champion.
Photos by Amanda Moses
