National Hot Dog Day
When is National Hot Dog Day? This holiday is celebrated on the third Wednesday in July
When is National Hot Dog Day you ask? Why, it’s today. Hot diggety dog! On this date, we celebrate one of America’s favorite summer sandwiches. It is only fitting that every dog has its’ day.
Its summertime. Hot dogs are center stage on the grill, and at picnics all across America. They are at the ballpark. They are sold from carts on street corners in every city. It’s not hard to find them. We consume hundreds of millions of hot dogs on the Fourth of July alone.
Enjoy National Hot Dog Day to the fullest. Have a couple of hot dogs for lunch or dinner. And, don’t forget to cook a few on a stick at the evening campfire.
What’s in a hot dog? Don’t ask, and we won’t tell. It’s a sausage, and that’s all we will say. Sometimes, it’s better if you don’t know.
Did You Know? Hot dogs outsell hamburgers at ballparks. The companion for National Hot Dog Day is National Mustard Day
How Many Hot Dogs Do We Eat?
We consume so many hot dogs, in so many venues, that the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council hesitates to forecast consumption. But, it does report that each year we buy over 837 million packages of hot dogs at retail outlets and over 24 million hot dogs at baseball stadiums alone.
We found no statistics about how many chili dogs are consumed annually by Americans. It is a small fraction of the estimated 70 hot dogs each American will eat in a year.
Hot Dog Trivia
As you enjoy National Hot Dog Day, here are some trivia and fun facts to peruse:
- Historians believe they originated in Germany.
- The German “Frankfurter Wurstchen” is a precursor to hot dogs.
- Hot dogs and frankfurters are similar. Hot dogs are an American invention consisting of a variety of soft meats. While frankfurters are German in origin. They are pork sausages with a firmer texture than hot dogs.
- Mustard is the most popular condiment. However, other popular condiments include ketchup, onions, relish, peppers, cheese, and chili.
- In 2011, Novex S.A. made the world’s longest hot dog at the Expoferia in Paraguay. It measured 668 feet 7.62 inches long.
- White hot dogs originated in Rochester, N.Y. in the 1920’s. It is popular largely in Western and Central New York State.
- White hot dogs, originally marketed as the “Poor Man’s Hot Dog”, are a pale white color consisting of pork, beef, and veal.
- Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand opened in 1916 on Coney Island, New York. It remains popular to this day.
- On July 4, 2021, at Nathan’s Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut set the current world record for the most hot dogs with buns eaten in ten minutes. Joey consumed 76 hot dogs.
- The average hot dog has approximately 50 calories. But, this does not include the bun or condiments.
How to Celebrate National Hot Dog Day
Like other food holidays, it’s easy to celebrate National Hot Dog Day.
- Eat hot dogs for lunch and dinner.
- Have a cookout. You know what to put on the menu.
- Have a campfire. Cook them on a stick over the fire.
- Cut them up and mix them into macaroni and cheese.
- Be brave. Eat one from a Convenience Store Hot Dog Roller Machine.
Today's Chuckle
What happened when the hot dog made a movie? It became an Oscar wiener.
History and Origin of National Hot Dog Day
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council created this day and holds an annual hot dog lunch in Washington, DC. They established this special holiday on the third Wednesday of the month.
We did not find any documentation confirming this to be a “National” day. We found no congressional records or presidential proclamation.
But, we firmly believe that there should be a national day for America’s Hot Dog! So, do your part. Write to your congressman and senator to express your support to make this a true national holiday.
Definition of “National” Days – Find out why it is so important to distinguish and identify true national days.
Related Holidays
More About Today
Find more about the “goings on” on this date.
This Day in History – Indeed, many other important events occurred on this date in July. See what happened on this date in history.
Famous July Birthdays – Did you ever wonder what famous people share your birth date? If so, then find out now!
Ecards – Send a free Ecard daily for National Hot Dog Day or just about any calendar holiday, occasion, observance, or event. Undoubtedly, it’s fun for both the sender and the recipient.
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Did You Know? Besides National Hot Dog Day, there are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. Furthermore, many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. July holidays are no exception. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.