12 Deliciously Absurd Food Contests You’ve Probably Never Seen

Ever since I heard that there are people among us who can eat 60 hot dogs in 10 minutes, I’ve put watching an eating competition on my bucket list. In the land of excess, it’s the perfect form of entertainment and celebration in the United States.

But apparently, there are even more ridiculous food competitions out there that you probably didn’t know existed.

From devouring raw garlic to creating food sculptures, these events prove that there truly are contests for everything. Here are 12 of the most outrageous and weird food competitions in the US.

1. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

• Held in Coney Island, New York.

Every Fourth of July, Coney Island turns into a battleground of soggy dogs and stretched stomach skin. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is a legendary event that sees competitors devour an astonishing number of hot dogs in just 10 minutes.

The current record for the most hot dogs eaten in a competition is a whopping 76 hot dogs (buns and all!), set by 16-time champ Joey “Jaws” Chestnut.

Spectators cheer as dogs are dipped in water and jaws move faster than you’d think possible. The contest even has its own qualifying rounds across the country.

2. International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship

• Usually held in Eau Claire, Michigan.

The International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship is exactly what it sounds like: a contest to see who can spit a cherry pit the farthest.

As strange as that seems, you can’t deny that these participants have serious lung power, with distances often exceeding 70 feet! It’s a weirdly wonderful event that draws a crowd every year, with everyone waiting for a new record to be set.

3. The Spam Jam Festival Spam Carving Contest

• Usually held in Waikiki, Hawaii.

Spam isn’t just a salty canned meat to bring camping. In beautiful Hawaii, it’s served with breakfast, a sushi topping, and more.

At the Spam Jam Festival in Waikiki, Spam lovers come together by carving Spam sculptures. Artists and enthusiasts gather to turn blocks of Spam into designs of lifelike faces to elaborate landscapes. The level of detail these carvers achieve is nothing short of amazing.

Other contest attendees can listen to music, dance, and eat enough Spam-centric dishes to keep them full for days.

4. West Virginia Roadkill Cook-off

• Usually held in Marlinton, West Virginia.

In Marlinton, West Virginia, a unique culinary competition has chefs whipping up gourmet dishes using animals you’d typically find on the side of the road. Think squirrel gravy, deer sausages, and even possum stew.

The creativity and flavors are surprisingly impressive, turning what sounds like a joke into a legitimate taste adventure.

Thousands flock to this event to sample the exotic offerings and vote for their favorites. You’ll never look at roadkill the same way again.

5. Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry

• Usually held in Virginia City, Nevada.

If you’re ever in Nevada and have a craving for, well, bull testicles, the Rocky Mountain Oyster Festival is the place to be. Known colloquially as “prairie oysters,” these delicacies are prepared in various ways, from deep-fried to sautéed.

Hundreds of brave souls gather to partake in this unusual culinary experience, which is surprisingly tasty if you can get past the origin. The festival even hosts a competitive eating contest for those who want to prove whose got the most guts.

6. Garlic Eating Contest at the Gilroy Garlic Festival

• Usually held in Gilroy, California.

Any time of year, you can smell garlic in the air when driving past Gilroy in California.

But there’s no better time to test your love for the pungent bulb than in the Garlic Eating Contest at the Gilroy Garlic Garlic Festival. Participants munch on raw garlic cloves, and whoever eats the most wins. The competition is fierce, and the breath is strong!

The legendary festival itself is a garlic lover’s paradise with garlic ice cream, garlic fries, and even garlic cocktails.

7. Crab Picking Contest at Crisfield National Hard Crab Derby

• Usually held in Maryland Eastern Shore.

Crisfield, often called “The Crab Capital of the World,” has endless seafood restaurants and one of the biggest marinas on the East Coast. So, it makes total sense that they host a fun crab-themed event featuring crab races, cooking contests, crafts, beauty pageants, and so much more!

The Crab Picking Contest specifically favors nimble fingers. Competitors race against the clock to extract every bit of sweet crab meat from the shell. Speed and precision are both key.

8. Acme Oyster Eating World Championship

• Usually held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In New Orleans, participants of this Major League Eating event devour oysters by the dozens. The annual New Orleans Oyster Festival sees competitors slurping down raw oysters at an astonishing rate, often exceeding 40 dozen in just 10 minutes. That’s over 500 oysters!

With fans cheering, the competition is part of the city’s larger Oyster Festival, which celebrates everything about this beloved shellfish.

9. World Ice Cream Eating Championship

• Usually held at the Indiana State Fair.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, watch competitors at the World Ice Cream Eating Championship dive into massive bowls of ice cream, racing to see who can consume the most in a set amount of time.

Held at the Indiana State Fair, this scene is both hilarious and impressive. People shovel cold, creamy goodness into their mouths at lightning speed.

The most recent winner snarfed down 15.5 pints of ice cream in 6 minutes!

10. NOLA Crawfish Eatin’ Championship

• Held in New Orleans, Louisiana

Down in New Orleans, the Championship Crawfish Eating Contest is held in conjunction with the city’s famed Crawfish Festival. This contest pits hungry participants against mountains of spicy crawfish.

The goal? Eat as many pounds of crawfish as possible within a set time. It’s messy, it’s spicy, and it’s downright entertaining. The record-holders often consume upwards of 20 pounds!

11. Hands-Free Blueberry Pie-Eating Contest

• Usually held in South Haven, Michigan.

Ever tried eating a pie without using your hands? That’s the challenge at the Hands-Free Blueberry Pie-Eating Contest in South Haven, Michigan.

Participants bury their faces in delicious blueberry pies, racing to see who can finish first. The result is a hilarious, berry-stained spectacle that’s straight out of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. After eating your fill, hang around to see the rest of the National Blueberry Festival.

12. Texas Onion Fest Onion Eating Contest

• Usually held in Weslaco, Texas.

At the Texas Onion Fest, participants chow down on raw onions for sport. The contest is surprisingly competitive, with winners often consuming several large onions in just a few minutes.

The festival is a tribute to the famous Texas 1015 Sweet Onion, with cooking demos, live music, and plenty of onion-based dishes.

MY FAVORITE TRAVEL RESOURCES

✈️ Find amazing guided tours and experiences with Viator to maximize your time! 🏘️ Plan ahead and secure your accommodation with Booking.com in advance. 🧾 Rent a car with Discovercars in advance and get the best prices for your day trip adventures.