Next Stop Is Atlanta For Nathan's Hot Dog-Eating Contest

Georgians with hearty appetites, take note: a Nathan's Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest Qualifier is coming to Atlanta, so now's your chance to wolf wieners with the best of them. On Saturday, June 15, Cypress Street Pint & Plate in Midtown will become the host of another year's qualifier challenge, part of an annual circuit traveling to several cities nationwide.

The Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog-Eating Contest, for a spot in which Atlantans will compete on Saturday, has taken place in Coney Island at the original Nathan's Famous location each Independence Day since 1916. The object of the competition is extraordinarily straightforward: to gulp as many Nathan's franks as possible in ten minutes. Currently, the reigning champion is Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, who inhaled an inconceivable 68 dogs, and he will seek to defend his title for the seventh consecutive time this year.

But in Atlanta this weekend, plucky and adventurous eaters will compete for the chance to dethrone him. The event, according to Cypress Street's Facebook page, will begin at 11:00 a.m., whereupon attendees will be served Shmaltz beers and Executive Chef Richard Silvey's specialty hot dogs in anticipation of the action at 1:00. So if you're in Atlanta and want to demonstrate your competitive eating prowess, or want to simply watch the contest while enjoying a bacon wrapped dog, Cypress Street is probably the best place for you to be this weekend. And make sure you check out the details here.