Joey Chestnut consumed 57 hot dogs in five minutes during the Fourth of July celebration at Fort Bliss on July 4, 2024, outdoing his four competitors who collectively ate 49 hot dogs. The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, held on Coney Island, has an over 100-year history, with its origins credited to a fabricated story created in the 1970s. The earliest verified contest occurred in the 1970s, evolving from a small sideshow to a larger spectacle with the involvement of Major League Eating by the mid-1990s.
Every year on the Fourth of July, as firework shows are prepared and Americans gather around the grill or pool to celebrate independence, a uniquely American tradition takes place on Coney Island.
The earliest verified Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest took place in the 1970s. The contest was fairly small for its first two decades, starting as a sideshow attraction.
The contest began to garner more attention in the early 1990s when Frank Dellarosa chomped down 21.5 hot dogs in 12 minutes, marking a turning point for the event.
George and Richard Shea transformed the event into more of a spectacle by adding over-the-top pageantry, which included regional qualifying events and dramatic introductions.
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