Hot Dog Eating Contest 2017 start time

Taking a look at the 2017 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest start time to see when one of the best 4th of July traditions begins.

There are many great traditions on the 4th of July. The fireworks are grand, and so too are the barbecues and parties. However, there’s one tradition that’s more of a spectacle than any of that. Of course, that tradition happens annually on Coney Island: the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. And now it’s set to return in 2017.

Last year was a reclamation of the title by a Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest legend on the men’s side. Joey Chestnut was defeated in 2015 by Matt Stonie, who ate 62 hot dogs to end his competitor’s run of eight-straight victories. However, Chestnut stormed back last year with an unbelievable 70 hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes, a record for the contest.

Chestnut and Stonie both return this year, and will be the two favorites battling it out on Coney Island for the mustard yellow belt. However, there’s also the women’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest to take in nowadays.

Instituted in 2011, the women’s contest was won three consecutive times by Sonya Thomas, or “Black Widow” as she’s known in Major League Eating. However, she’s been usurped the past three years by Miki Sudo, who ate 38.5 hot dogs in 2016 to capture the pink belt. These two women will both be competing this year as well.

Even if it’s a bit disgusting at times, the contest is a pasttime at this point. And without question, it’s one of those things that you can’t miss and can’t look away from. Thus, you may be asking when the 2017 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will start on the 4th of July.

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The women’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will begin at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by the “Main Event and festivities beginning at Noon ET. Then, the men’s contest will go live at 12:40 p.m. ET. All of the action can be caught on WatchESPN and ESPN2.