Our favourite time of the year is upon us! July is the month of our beloved food of choice, and the ultimate excuse to sample delicious gourmet hot dogs and endless hot dog toppings in Sydney.

Right in the middle of the month, July 19 heralds Hot Dog Day, created by the US National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. The event is celebrated with businesses, communities and hot dog fans jumping at the opportunity to pay homage to the famous snack.

All about Hot Dog Month

It’s no accident that Hot Dog Month coincides with the 4th of July and hot, summer days in America. After all, this symbol of American culture is perhaps best eaten in the outdoors, at a barbecue or during a sporting match.

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council chooses to celebrate hot dogs because they are a traditional food that brings families together and, quite simply, they “taste great!” According to the council, this year it’s estimated that Americans will eat seven billion hot dogs during the season, which works out to be 818 hot dogs per second!

How Hot Dog Day is celebrated

The big event to mark Hot Dog Day in the US is the Annual Hot Dog Lunch at Capitol Hill, in Washington. The event sees administration officials, lawmakers and Capitol Hill staff enjoy a hot dog picnic of huge proportions. Hot dog carts offer dogs and toppings from different states for everyone to try.

Celebrations in honour of the humble dog also take place throughout the country. Town picnics are a popular choice, with communities gathering to eat their fill and enjoy the outdoors.

Hot dog eating contests and hot dog cook-offs add the competitive element and there’s even a Hot Dog Sandwich debate you can join on social media, as to whether a hot dog is actually a sandwich.

To top it off, the council hosts a contest for fans to submit their best hot dog jokes, riddles and limericks, whereby winners have the chance to receive hot dog gift cards, National Hot Dog Sausage and Council t-shirts, and a featured spot for their joke on the website.

Arguably the biggest competition though, is the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, which is held on Independence Day every year in Brooklyn. The competitors stand on raised platforms, with their Nathan’s Famous hot dogs at the ready. The trick is to eat as many as possible in just ten minutes, while keeping them down! In 2016, the winner, Joey Chestnut, consumed an incredible 70 dogs. 

Join the spirit of Hot Dog Day

Bet you can’t wait to get in on the action, right? You don’t have to be in America to hold your own celebrations throughout the month in a variety of ways.

First hire a hot dog cart and, from there, anything goes. Whether you choose a picnic, a backyard bash, a corporate event for your business or a sporting day by the beach, express your love for the hot dog and ‘relish’ every delectable bite!