How many dogs can one person eat? Find out at the hot-dog eating contest

It can be a snack or a meal, a side or main dish, meat or plant based, and you can eat it just about anywhere at anytime. 

This flexible food is known to some as a frankfurter, weenie, red hot, coney, frank or even wiener but most know it as just a plain old hot dog. Though this tasty treat was created in Germany, Americans have claimed it as their own.

Today you can find hot dogs being sold in movie theaters, at school plays, and at dine in and fast food restaurants. Another place you can find franks is at hot-dog eating contests.

Supposedly, one of the first hot-dog eating contests was used to determine just how patriotic a group of immigrant were. They gathered at a Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog stand in Coney Island on July 4, 1916, and held a friendly eating competition.

Today thousands follow suit and compete in hot-dog eating contests, not necessarily to show their patriotism but just for the fun of it.

This month the Hot Dog Man and the Vicksburgapp.com are coming together to bring some of that fun to Vicksburg.

On Dec. 23 at 2 p.m. the two groups are hosting a local hot-dog eating contest. Folks will gather at the Hot Dog Man, 1710 Monroe St., to scarf down as many frankfurters as they can in 10 minutes. The winner will take home $200. 

The entry fee for this contest is $10 and prospective winners can register by visiting the Hot Dog Man or Vicksburgapp.com.