Labor Day Wing Fest Announced

The Fourth Annual National Buffalo Wing Festival has announced that it will host the U.S. Buffalo Wing-Eating Championship on September 4, 5 and 6, 2005, at Dunn Tire Park in Buffalo, NY, home of the Buffalo chicken wing.

Sonya Thomas, known as the “Black Widow” for her ability to destroy male competitors, will return to defend her championship title against the strongest field of chicken wing-eating specialists to date. Her toughest challenge may be from top-ranked American eaters Badlands Booker, Cookie Jarvis and Charles Hardy.

Thomas, who holds titles in oysters, hard-boiled eggs and hot dogs, has called for Bill Simmons to attend the event after Simmons’ controversial win at Philadelphia’s local wing championship. Many believed purposely subjective judging had a role in Simmons’ victory; Thomas and other eaters hope he will participate in the Buffalo championship, which uses a fully objective judging method.

Also likely to compete are corn on the cob champion Joe LaRue; butter champion Don “Moses” Lerman; and Buffalo’s own Jim Reeves, a multi-discipline eater and local favorite.

“Buffalo welcomes top eaters from around the world to the home of the chicken wing,” said festival founder Drew Cerza. “The National Buffalo Wing Festival eating contest will make this celebration of the Buffalo wing the best yet.”

The 12-minute, all-you-can-eat contest will be sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE). The Fourth Annual National Buffalo Wing Festival, which will be held at on September 4, 5 and 6, Labor Day weekend, is expected to draw upward of 70,000 chicken wing aficionados to the City of Buffalo.

The festival will feature the America’s Best Wings competition as well as the Mega Car and Truck Show, Baby Wing Contest, Miss Buffalo Wing Pageant and the official Running of the Chickens. Attendees will also have the opportunity to try more than 100 different varieties of Buffalo wings from eateries across the nation.

This is an IFOCE event and the IFOCE will handle all registration. Those over the age of 18 may register for the event. Registration will begin on July 15.