2016 Maine Red Hot Dog Festival
Inaugural Maine Red Hot Dog Festival will be this weekend
DEXTER — The first annual Maine Red Hot Dog Festival, featuring a day of events on Saturday, Aug. 13, has become very popular on social media.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HOT DIGGITY DOGS — The inaugural Maine Red Hot Dog Festival will feature a day of events in Dexter on Saturday, Aug. 13, including a Maine-based hot dog eating contest at high noon and children’s pie eating contest to follow.
“People from all over the state of Maine as well as out of state have liked, shared and commented on the upcoming festival. Well over 1,000 have already shown interest in attending,” stated organizing committee Chairman Frank Spizuoco. “In the beginning, the Dexter Revitalization Committee was not in favor of planning such a large event until Maine Highlands FCU came on board as a partner. This partnership has brought the event to a whole new level.”
The Aug. 13 event sponsored by the committee and Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union stars with the Dexter Regional High School field hockey team serving a pancake breakfast at the American Legion Hall from 6-10 a.m.
Millside Fitness sponsors a 5K Bun Run at 8 a.m. The race will start next to Bangor Savings Bank on Main Street and go around town and end on Main Street. The first 50 to register (which can be done at https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Dexter/BunRun5k) will receive a race T-shirt.
Main Street opens at 9 a.m. with food, crafts and other vendors, as well as children’s games sponsored by Rand Hill Farms, a heavy equipment petting zoo, a not-so-silent auction sponsored by Dexter ACE Hardware running until 3 p.m., jail and bail and music by Con Rio Brass live on stage as well as the start of Reddog Music DJ Service.
At 10 a.m. the Maine Highland Federal Credit Union-sponsored giant inflatable obstacle course opens, as does the 35-foot climbing wall and bungee jump. Also opening to the public will be the Red Hot Dog District — WA Bean is donating 200 pounds of red snappers with more on stand-by — and the Factory One beer tent. Non-Profit performs on the stage at 10:30 a.m.
A hot dog eating contest — sponsored by Bud’s Shop ‘n Save — starts at noon, and at 11:30 a.m. the contestants will be announced on stage. The competition is open to 10 entrants — aged 16 and up — drawn by lottery from those who have registered by 11:30.
The contest objective is to eat 15 hot dogs and buns, with water as the only beverage, within five minutes — condiments will be provided if desired. The winner will be determined by the first contestant to final all 15 of their hot dogs with buns or whoever eats the most in five minutes.
At 1 p.m. children ages 5-16 — in three different divisions — can put their eating skills to the test in the Bud’s Shop ‘n Save pie eating contest. The contest is open to the first 10 contestants who register in each age group, and the top three in ages 5-8, 9-12 and 13-16 to finish their pies without using their hands will win prizes.
The Sunday Project performs on stage at 2 p.m., and also at this time will be the start of Wes Booth Magic.
The Wayside Grange cook-off winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. At the same time will be the beginning of the Dexter Fire Department’s rubber duck race.
The Mallett Brothers Band takes to the stage at 5 p.m.
Parking for the Maine Red Hot Dog Festival will be available at Factory One and Fayscott, per donation to benefit Dexter Regional High School Project Graduation, with shuttles running back and forth.
“It certainly takes a village to put on a festival,” Diane Parola of Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union. “We have a lot of great sponsors on board who are helping to make this a really fun event.”
There is a kick-off Dexter Parks & Rec Department “Friday Night Under the Lights Softball Game” at Bud Ellms Field on the evening of Friday, Aug. 12, and a Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis Red Hot Dog Golf Classic scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 14 at Dexter Muni.
Go to www.redhotdog.org or https://www.facebook.com/maineredhotdogfestival/ or call 557-9642 for more information.