The annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is a well-established Fourth of July tradition, but the drama has been ratcheted up significantly in recent years. Competitors in this year’s matchup will be looking to unseat reigning champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, who ate 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes last year. Chestnut’s impressive performance was slightly overshadowed, however, by the appearance of Takeru Kobayashi, the Michael Jordan of competitive eating, who was dragged off the stage in handcuffs as the crowd chanted “Let him eat!” Apparently Kobayashi was not permitted to enter the 2010 contest because he refused to sign a contract with Major League Eating, but he crashed the festivities anyway. Don’t risk missing that kind of excitement this year! The contest kicks off at noon but we recommend arriving early for a prime spot.
