Upcoming New York City eating contests
New York City eating challenges
(All New York City eating challenges and contests in database)
Grub Street has a behind the scenes look at the decision by Shea Communications decision to lock Joey Chestnut of the Nathan's Famous for endorsing Impossible Foods plant-based frankfurters.
The July 4 weather prediction for Coney Island is currently predicted to be 76F high / 58F low with a 44% chance of PM showers.
Crazy Legs Conti wrote a column for Gothamist about his 23 year competitive eating career and the possibility of retirement. He says there will be four Nathan's Famous wild card spots awarded this year.
Times Square Nathan’s qualifier
| 1st | 35 | Gideon Oji | |
| 2nd | 32.5 | George Chiger | |
| 3rd | 26.5 | Yunho Choi | from South Korea |
| 4th | 15 | Anthony Kamenski | |
| 5th | 12.5 | Crazy Legs Conti | |
| 6th | 11 | Jeffrey Bonacorda | |
| 7th | 7.75 | Jason Ruppert | |
| 8th | 5.5 | Steven Peterson |
| 1st | 16 | Larell Marie “The Real Deal” Mele | qualifies for 14th finals (all womens contests) |
| 2nd | 9 | Olivia Murphy | overall competitive eating debut |
| 3rd | 6 | Julie Goldberg | |
| 4th | 4 | Prudence DiBenedetto |
The Field: Steven Peterson, Olivia Murphy, Jeffrey Bonacorda, Anthony Kaminsky, Jay Ruppert, Julie Goldberg, A Korean (didn’t get the name), Prudence DiBenedetto, Larell Marie Mele, George Chiger, Crazy Legs Conti, Gideon Oji
KumaMonster has started a live stream of today’s Nathan’s qualifier at Times Square in Manhattan. The introductions are expected to start at noon Eastern.
"Cheeseball Man", whose eating of an entire container of cheeseballs went viral, will compete in Saturday's Gray's Papaya hot dog eating contest at the Smashed Burger Block Party in Brooklyn.
Gideon Oji, George Chiger, Crazy Legs Conti and Larell Marie Mele are expected to compete in Friday's Nathan's qualifier in Times Square. The competition is part of a "Hot Dogs in the City" exhibition that features a 65 foot long hot dog that can rise up and shoot confetti.
Fresco's Grand Cantina in Astoria, NY will hold a taco eating contest tomorrow awarding $250 to the winner.
The Brooklyn Cylones have produced a bobble-head doll of Joey Chestnut sitting on a hot dog throne that will be given to the first 1,500 fans that attend their July 3 game. In honor of the occasion, the team will be renamed the Coney Island Franks for one day.
2024 Nathan’s qualifier circuit announced
Six Nathan’s qualifiers were posted today. Registration opens April 12.
- May 11 Comstock, MI West Michigan Whitecaps game
- May 17 Times Square, NYC
- June 6 Cleveland, OH Parma Rib N Rock
- June 8 Bristol, CT
- June 15 Pleasanton, CA Alameda County Fair
- June 22 Washington, DC Giant National Capital BBQ Battle
The last Central or Mountain time zone qualifier was at the Iowa State Fair in August 2019.
Molly Schuyler won the first prize of $1,000 in yesterday's meatball eating contest at Millie's of Staten Island. Dan Kennedy was the runner-up and Wayne Algenio was 3rd. update NBC New York has a video
Millie's in Staten Island will hold a meatball eating contest on March 9 awarding $1000/$500/$250.
Memory Motel in Manhattan will hold a wing eating contest during halftime of Sunday's Chiefs vs. Ravens AFC Championship game awarding a Super Bowl table valued at $2500.
"Airsoft Fatty" faced off against Eric "Badlands" Booker in a chug-off held at Times Square in New York City.
The new video game "Spiderman 2" is set in New York City. One of the Brooklyn locations features a public appearance for a hot dog eating champion who has eaten 77 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Asian Journal has an article about last Sunday's eating contest at Lumpia Fest in New York City won by Dan Kennedy
Wayne Algenio ate 48 pierogis yesterday to defend his title at Pierozek's eating contest in Brooklyn and claim the $500 first prize.
Pierozek in Brooklyn will hold a pierogi eating contest on October 8 awarding $500 to the winner. The runner up will receive $300.
The NYC Hot Sauce Expo will hold several spicy eating contests in Brooklyn this weekend. On Sunday, the Carolina Reaper pepper contest will award $1000 if the Guinness record is broken.
The New York City Philippines Fest will hold a lumpia eating contest awarding $1000 to the winner on October 8. 2022 winner Wayne Algenio will appear.
The New York Post has an article about the Feast of San Gennaro terminating its eating contests. Its cannoli competition was probably the most famous eating contest in Manhattan. The article has quotes from Matt Pruznick, cannoli champion the previous two years, and Crazy Legs Conti, winner of the 2009 contest.
The Feast of San Gennaro, which will start Thursday in the Little Italy Section of New York City, has dropped all four of its eating contests. The cannoli competition was probably the most famous eating competition in Manhattan.
Jungly in Long Island City, NY will hold a hot wing eating contest July 23 awarding a pair of UNC Michael Jordan 1 shoes.
Joey Chestnut wins 16th Nathan’s Famous title
The 2023 Nathan’s men’s contest has been cancelled due to lightning and rain. I am not sure why the 2020 contest setup could not be recreated in the second floor of Nathan’s Famous’ building and the competition held later today.
update Ronnie Hartman says the contest will start around 2pm eastern
| 1st | 62 | Joey “Jaws” Chestnut | 16th title |
| 2nd | 49 | Geoffrey Esper | |
| 3rd | 47 | James Webb | UK Commonwealth record |
| 4th | 45 | Nick Wehry | |
| 4th | 41 | Bartley Weaver, IV | |
| 6th | 36 | Gideon Oji | |
| 7th | 29.75 | Zozan Paku Paku | |
| 8th | 29.5 | Max Suzuki | |
| 9th | 27.5 | Darrien “Cheesecurd” Thomas | |
| 10th | 27 | Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan | |
| 11th | 26 | Adam “Beard Meats Food” Moran | |
| 12th | 25.75 | Derek Hendrickson | |
| 13th | 22 | Joey Przybylowicz | |
| 14th | 16 | Ronnie “MegaByte” Hartman | |
| 15th | 15 | Crazy Legs Conti |
2023 Nathan’s Famous women’s contest
Gigi’s Time is running a livestream on youtube Super Friends NYC is also doing a live stream
| 1st | 39.5 | Miki Sudo | |
| 2nd | 33.5 | Mayoi Ebihara | Japanese women’s record |
| 3rd | 24.25 | Michelle “Cardboard Shell” Lesco | |
| 4th | 13.25 | Larell Marie “The Real Deal” Mele | |
| 5th | 11.5 | Katie Prettyman | |
| 6th | 10.5 | Jocelyn Young | |
| 7th | 9.75 | Kelly Wong | |
| 8th | 9 | Mary “I Love ’em HOT!” Bowers | |
| 9th | 7 | Rene Rovtar | |
| 10th | 6.5 | Cherish “Five Pounds” Brown | |
| 11th | 5.5 | Abby Horowitz | |
| 12th | 4.5 | Julie Goldberg | |
| 13th | 4.25 | Elizabeth Salgado | |
| 14th | 3.5 | Prudence DiBenedetto | |
| DQ | ? | Barbara LaBarge |
Nathan’s qualifier May 13 in Kissimmee, FL
A facebook event page claims that the first Nathan’s Famous qualifier of 2023 will take place May 13 at Old Town in Kissimmee, FL (south Orlando). BBQ in DC will also hold a qualifier in Washington, DC on June 24. The traditional New York Mets Father’s Day qualifier might also return. Nathan’s will sponsor the giveaway promotion for their June 18 game, which has previously been a hint that a qualifier will take place during the event.
update April 21 A press release says there will also be qualifiers in Cincinnati on June 17 (probably a Reds game) and Pleasanton, CA (probably a return to the Alameda County Fair)
Registration opens today (April 21) at noon eastern for the Kissimmee qualifier.
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