Hot dog day
Encyclopedia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Their origin is obscure. As the name suggests the festivals revolve around eating hot dogs, but usually there are many other activities such as wiener dog races, root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
chugging contests and face painting. Often the proceeds from a hot dog day are given to charity. Industry groups, such as National Hot Dog & Sausage Council in the USA, which designates July as National Hot Dog Month and July 22 as National Hot Dog Day 2009, encourage, sponsor, and support the events. The council also gives advice on hot-dog eating etiquette, which aren't considered strict, as most Hot Dog Day style events do not adhere to them.
Alfred Village Hot Dog Day
Alfred (village), New York
Alfred is a village located in the Town of Alfred in Allegany County, New York, USA. The population was 3,954 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Alfred the Great....
. It has been celebrated since 1972, when students first proposed it. The event is focused on the hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
, a food popular among college students for its cheapness and ease of preparation. Hot Dog Day itself is usually the third Saturday in April, although many students celebrate the entire "hot dog week", running from that Wednesday to that Sunday.
Hot Dog Day, which is organized primarily by students from Alfred University
Alfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
and Alfred State College
Alfred State College
Alfred State College is a State University of New York College of Technology located in Alfred, New York in Allegany County. This college, formerly the Agricultural and Technical College at Alfred, now grants baccalaureate degrees in 18 areas, associate degrees in nearly 60 areas, as well as a...
, raises money for local charities and community organizations, such as Alfred's fire department
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
and Montessori school
Montessori method
Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. Montessori education is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children from birth to eighteen years old.-Overview:...
.
Events typically include a parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, ice cream social, "fun run", mud Olympics, hot dog eating contests, carnival and live music. Main Street, which is closed to traffic, hosts most of these activities, along with food choices such as a chicken barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
and numerous hot dog stands. Hot Dog Day is often the time chosen for alumni reunions for Alfred's two colleges.
FAHDD
FAHDD is an annual tradition taken upon by some Alfred Alumni after Alfred University disbanded all fraternities and soroities in 2002. It is held the same day as the traditional Alfred Hot Dog Day but in a different location each year. FAHDD embodies what Hot Dog Day used to be before 2002.| FAHDD | Location | Year 2001 Fad Qad |
|---|---|---|
| FAHDD I | Portland, Maine Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000... |
2003 |
| FAHDD II | Baltimore, Maryland | 2004 |
| FAHDD III | Lancaster, Ohio Lancaster, Ohio Lancaster is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,780. It is located near the Hocking River, approximately southeast of Columbus, Ohio. It is the county seat of Fairfield County... |
2005 |
| FAHDD IV | Rochester, New York Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City... |
2006 |
| FAHDD V | Outer Banks Outer Banks The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States.... , North Carolina |
2007 |
| FAHDD VI | Buffalo, New York Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the... |
2008 |
| FAHDD VII | Cruise to Nassau/Freeport, Bahamas | 2009 |
| FAHDD VIII | Lake George, New York Lake George (town), New York Lake George is a town in Warren County, New York, USA. The population was 3,578 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the lake, Lake George. Within the town is a village also named Lake George. The town is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :The lake was... |
2010 |
| FAHDD IX | Turning Stone Casino Verona, New York Verona, New York Verona is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 6,425 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is unknown, though it's possibly named after Verona, Italy.... |
2011 |
| FAHDD X | TBD | 2012 |
Annual Hot Dog Lunch on Capitol Hill
The Annual Hot Dog Lunch on Capitol HillCapitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Capitol Hill, aside from being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues...
, sponsored by the American Meat Institute
American Meat Institute
The American Meat Institute is the oldest and largest trade association representing the U.S. meat and poultry industry.-Information:Originally founded in 1906 in Chicago as the American Meat Packers Association, the American Meat Institute is a trade association that provides leadership to...
, is one of the most popular social events in Washington, D.C. During the lunch, which has been celebrated for decades in Washington, more than 1,000 members of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, Administration officials, journalists and lobbyists gather in a courtyard for a huge hot dog picnic. At the lunch, hot dog companies serve their franks from traditional hot
dog carts.
Boston Hot Dog Safari
The Boston Hot Dog Safari is an annual charity benefit founded by Boston sports radio host, Eddie AndelmanEddie Andelman
Eddie Andelman is an American sports radio talk show host. He has worked over 40 years in sports talk radio in Boston and has appeared on over 100 sports stations all over the country.- Career :...
. The charity began in 1990 to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
, raising money for the Joey Fund, named after a friend of his who died of the disease in 1986 at the age of twelve. One of Andelman's all-time favorite foods are hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s, which is why the charity is called the Hot Dog Safari.
The Hot Dog Safari is one of the most popular charity events in Boston today. Over the years, it has a gained a steady flow of participants as well as money for charity. In one single day, an estimated $150,000 dollars was raised to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis. Medical experts have said that finding a cure for the disease is close to being found in only a few years' time.
The Safari is an all-you-eat supply of hot dogs, sausages and ice cream sundaes. Money is earned from tickets (sold either at the door or in advance) and raffles. Entertainment is also provided.
West Virginia Hot Dog Festival
The West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Hot Dog Festival has been held in Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
on the last Saturday in July since 2005. A charitable event, the festival may raise $10,000 or more for the children's cancer unit at the Edwards' Comprehensive Cancer Center.. Activities include a bun run (or walk), a weiner dog race, the Owner-Dog Look Alike Contest, a Car & Truck Show, a Hotdog Eating Contest and a Harmonica Championship.
Other Hot Dog Events
- Stanley Park Optimist Club - Season End Hot Dog Day Celebration
- Kiwanis Club of Ingersoll, OntarioIngersoll, OntarioIngersoll is a town in Oxford County on the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The nearest cities are Woodstock to the east and London to the west....
, Canada - Hot Dog Day - Newburyport, MassachusettsNewburyport, MassachusettsNewburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
Hot Dog Day - VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada Hot Dog Day - Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary Schools (WMES) Hot Dog Day
- In DiscordianismDiscordianismDiscordianism is a religion based on the worship of Eris , the Greco-Roman goddess of strife. It was founded circa 1958–1959 after the publication of its holy book the Principia Discordia, written by Malaclypse the Younger and Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst after a series of shared hallucinations at a...
a Discordian is required to, the first Friday after his illumination, Go Off Alone & Partake Joyously of a Hot Dog; this Devotive Ceremony to Remonstrate against the popular Paganisms of the Day: of Roman Catholic Christendom (no meat on Friday), of Judaism (no meat of Pork), of Hindic Peoples (no meat of Beef), of Buddhists (no meat of animal), and of Discordians (no Hot Dog Buns).
Criticism
Hot dog day events have been criticized for promoting animal slaughterAnimal slaughter
Slaughter is the term used to describe the killing and butchering of animals, usually for food. Commonly it refers to killing and butchering of domestic livestock ....
ing and for promoting animal cruelty, even if many of the activities of the events do not involve hot dogs. They have been criticized for encouraging people to turn a blind eye to these practices. Most hot dogs are produced by slaughtering pigs for meat, and vegetarians and vegans have created vegetarian hot dog days in response to the traditional events.
See also
- CarnivalCarnivalCarnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
- Event planningEvent planningEvent planning is the process of planning a festival, ceremony, competition, party, or convention. Event planning includes budgeting, establishing dates and alternate dates, selecting and reserving the event site, acquiring permits, and coordinating transportation and parking...
- FairFairA fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
- FestivalFestivalA festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
- FeteFêteFête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
- FunfairFunfairA funfair or simply "fair" is a small to medium sized travelling show primarily composed of stalls and other amusements. Larger fairs such as the permanent fairs of cities and seaside resorts might be called a fairground, although technically this should refer to the land where a fair is...
- Kermesse (festival)