When and where is the famous Nathan’s 4th of July hot dog eating contest?
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest celebrates its 50th edition on Independence Day with world champion Joey Chestnut aiming for his seventh straight title.
Some people love hot dogs, and some love them so much that they just can’t get enough of them. On Monday, 14 hungry competitors will be given the chance to eat as many of them as they like - within a time limit.
For the past 50 years, Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island, New York City has held a hot dog eating contest on 4 July as part of the Independence Day celebrations. Around 35,000 fans will be crammed on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island to watch the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in person. Millions more will be watching ESPN live broadcast of the event. Apart from a bellyfull of hotdogs, the winner will get the chance to slip on the famous Mustard Belt - once the beef franks are fully digested and through the system...
A total of 14 contestants, all of whom must be over 18 years of age, will be taking part this year. They will have 10 minutes to eat as many of Nathan’s hot dogs as they can. The hot dogs are Jumbo 100% Beef Franks, grilled and served in a bun. There are two separate competitions - for men and women. Water and other non-alcoholic beverages are provided. Contestants who vomit will be disqualified.
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World Champion Joey Chestnut from Kentucky set a new hot dog-eating world record last year after guzzling down 76 hot dogs and buns. That’s over 7.5 hot dogs per minute or one whole hot dog every eight seconds. Joey has been training for Sunday’s event with the aim of defending his Mustard Belt and maybe even setting a new world record. “I usually eat a normal dinner, some salmon, a little bit of salad but Saturday, Sunday, we pretty much cleanse - an all liquid diet - lemon juice, water… and come Monday, 4th of July, I’m going to go to the contest hungry, loose, happy and I’m going to be eating back on the big stage. This will be the first year since Covid, there’ll be 30,000 people there,” the 38-year-old told TMZ, adding that he’s going to be “sweating like a mad man” in Coney Island on Monday.
Chestnut, who has won every edition of this contest for the past 15 years, except one (2015), will be up against the winners of last month’s regional qualifying rounds held in Pleasanton and Washington, DC. But they won’t include six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi, who is banned after refusing to sign a contract with Major League Eating.
Chestnut beat his own record by one during the past two years but without an audience. The contest returns to Nathan’s Famous original restaurant on the Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn after two years away from the venue. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the contest was held at Maimonides Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, in 2021 and at a private indoor location in New York City in 2020.
Last year’s women’s champion, Michelle Lesco (30.75), will defend her title from top-ranked female Miki Sudo, who has returned to competition following maternity leave. Miki’s all-time best is 48.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
When does the 2022 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest start?
The 2022 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will start at midday (12 p.m. EDT) on Monday 4 July 2022 on the sidewalk outside Nathan’s Famous restaurant on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island, NYC. The women’s contest will be broadcast live by ESPN3 with coverage of the men’s event on ESPNews from midday.