Hot dog eating contest added to town-wide picnic

A new event has been added to the third annual Fort Scott and Bourbon County Riverfront Authority town-wide picnic, scheduled for July 2 in the park north of the Marmaton River.

Local organizations will have a chance to raise funds by entering the Riverfront Hot Dog Eating Contest. Organizations selected for the contest this year are Friends of the Fort, Kiwanis Club, Pioneer Kiwanis, Rotary, Young Professionals, Fire Department, YAT (Youth Activities Team) and the Elks Club.

Free hot dogs, dessert and drinks begin for the general public at 6 p.m. with the contest starting at 6:30 p.m. Prize money for the winning organizations and their entry is donated by Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel. Contest Chairman Jerry Witt, said a couple of organizations have not submitted their entry. If anyone would like to show off their eating skills, let him know and he will match that person with an organization, a news release said.

The national winner of last year's contest, Joey Chestnut, consumed 54 hot dogs and buns in the allotted 10 minutes.

Names of the eating contestants will be announced in a later news release. Prize money to the winning organization and eater follow: First place, $100 to the organization, $50 to the eater; second place, $50 to the organization and $25 to the eater; third place, $25 and $15 to the eater.

A judge for each contestant will count the official number of hot dogs and buns consumed, the release said.