The Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest

Location: Coney Island, NY
Date: 07-04-2022

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Nathan’s Famous July 4 Hot Dog Eating Contest Announces Return To Surf And Stillwell!

The 2022 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest will return to the iconic Nathan’s Famous flagship restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island after being forced to alternate locations in 2020 and 2021 by the pandemic. The event, an American holiday tradition, will take place on Monday, July 4, 2022, from 11am to 1pm at 1310 Surf Avenue.

At last year’s event, Chestnut consumed 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, beating Geoffrey Esper, who finished in second place, and Nick Wehry, who finished third. Michelle Lesco of Tucson, AZ, won the women’s contest last year by eating 30.75 hot dogs and buns. She will defend her title against the world’s number-one-ranked female eater Miki Sudo, whose personal best is 48.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

“The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is a fundamental aspect of the American experience, and we are thrilled to be back at our Flagship,” said Phil McCann, Vice President of Marketing of Nathan’s Famous. “After two years of anticipation, we look forward to welcoming back our traditional crowd of 35,000 spectators.”

For decades, tens of thousands have made the pilgrimage to Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island to watch the event in-person. Pre-show festivities will begin at 10 am with musical and dance performances. The women’s competition begins at 11 am, while the men’s competition will start at 12:30 pm. An annual feature of the event is the Nathan’s Famous donation of 100,000 hot dogs to the Food Bank for New York City.

“Joey Chestnut is a force from beyond who defies the laws of physics,” said contest host George Shea. “He is freedom made man, and the rock on which he stands is not a rock – it is the United States of America.”

According to Major League Eating archives, the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Championship has occurred each July 4th in Coney Island, NY, since 1916, the year Nathan Handwerker opened the legendary restaurant. MLE, the governing body of all stomach-centric sport, sanctions the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Circuit and ensures the contests are judged professionally and that safety standards are in place at each event.

ESPN has exclusive live broadcast rights from 10:45am to the conclusion of the event, expected to be at 1:05 pm ET. The women’s competition coverage will begin at 10:45am ET and will be telecast live on ESPN3 and ESPNEWS. The men’s competition coverage will begin at 12:00 pm ET and will be telecast live on ESPN3 and ESPNEWS. It will re-air on ESPN2 at 4:00pm. Air times subject to change.

The 2022 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest will take place on Monday, July 4, 2022, from 11am to 1pm at 1310 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.

About Nathan's Famous, Inc. Nathan's is a Russell 2000 Company that currently distributes its products in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and 17 foreign countries through its restaurant system, foodservice sales programs and product licensing activities. For additional information about Nathan's, please visit our website at www.nathansfamous.com.

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*All applicants must be 18 years of age or older and fully acknowledge and understand the inherent dangers and risks associated with participating in an eating contest. The applicant further acknowledges and understands that the MLE/IFOCE coordinates with event sponsor(s) to select and approve eligible participants, and that the MLE/IFOCE shall decide, at its sole discretion, whether an applicant is eligible to participate in any eating event, and/or related activities. The MLE/IFOCE may revoke an applicant's eligibility to participate in the eating contest, or related activities, at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion. The MLE/IFOCE and the event sponsors reserve the right, at any time, to change any and all details concerning the event, including, e.g., time, duration, location and prize structure.tion, location and prize structure.