2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Canceled Because of Lightning, Pouring Rain [UPDATE]
Joey Chestnut's greatest rival is Mother Nature.
The 2023 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest was canceled when a storm hit Coney Island early Tuesday afternoon. Shortly after the women's competition was won by Miki Sudo, it started to rain. The competition was first delayed because of lightning, but the forecast made it impossible to continue and the NYPD made the call to cancel the event. ESPN2 remained in alternate programming with a chyron saying the contest was in a weather delay.
UPDATE: Joey Chestnut apparently un-canceled the event and then ate 62 hot dogs to win again. Extremely weird afternoon on Coney Island.
People did what they could to stay safe and/or dry, crowding the subway station and standing on tables under umbrellas. The rain hiding the tears that come with some of the more devastating news you'll ever hear on July 4th: Nobody gets to watch Joey Chestnut eat hot dogs today.
A stampede of waterlogged bros, fleeing the Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, as organizers blare the 1981 song “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, backed up by a chorus of thunder and lightning and soggy screams. pic.twitter.com/SU6T3Xnynw
— Liam Stack (@liamstack) July 4, 2023
Here is a video of people standing on table tops on Coney Island to escape the torrential rain and gathering pools of water that have totally derailed the Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest pic.twitter.com/Gs7bpkQghC
— Liam Stack (@liamstack) July 4, 2023
The most surprising part of this is that there is no Plan B. They don't have a place indoors where the competition could have gone on for just the fans watching at home. Instead we have to settle for social media videos of Badlands Booker chugging lemonade.
Chugging with @BadlandsBooker during the storm pic.twitter.com/yRRWJBWasm
— Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) July 4, 2023
Happy Fourth of July? No such thing this year.
Security staff at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest telling people the men’s event has been canceled. The stage and other performance areas look like they’re being dismantled right now. pic.twitter.com/7uIrUVX7Ah
— Liam Stack (@liamstack) July 4, 2023