Red, white and blue — and a lot of hot dogs.
On Thursday, July 4, the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest will be held at Coney Island. While several contestants will be making the annual trip to New York, Joey Chestnut, the reigning men’s champion, will not be in attendance.
Chestnut was banned from competing this year after signing a sponsorship deal with vegan food producer Impossible Foods. The 16-time Mustard Belt winner announced that he will instead head to Texas and face four soldiers in a special competition at Fort Bliss.
So, here’s the big question: With Chestnut out, who will be crowned the new champion?
On the women’s side, Miki Sudo will look to continue her run of dominance. She has never lost on the stage at Coney Island, so it would be a huge surprise if her name isn’t sitting atop the leaderboard.
Here’s how you can watch the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest while you prepare your own hot dogs on the grill.