Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual competitive eating competition held at Nathan's Famous Corporation's original, and best-known restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. The event is held on July 4 and is regarded as the world's most famous hot dog eating contest and a colorful tradition of Independence Day in the United States. In 2010, over 40,000 spectators attended the event, and an additional 1.677 million viewers watched it live on ESPN.

The ninety-fifth annual contest was held on July 4, 2010. Three-time defending champion Joey Chestnut successfully defended his title by consuming 54 hot dogs and buns (HDBs) in 10 minutes. The contest was televised live on ESPN, which has held the broadcast rights for this event since 2004
The winner is given possession of the coveted international "bejeweled" mustard-yellow belt. The belt is of "unknown age and value" according to IFOCE co-founder George Shea and rests in the country of its owner. Due to the string of Japanese wins in the first half of the 2000 decade, the belt had been on display in the Imperial Palace in Saitama, Japan near the Nakazato Danchi campus. In 2007, American Joey Chestnut won the first of four consecutive victories in the contest which has kept the belt in the United States to the present day.
Cash Prizes to be awarded are as follows:

First Place: $10,000
Second Place: $5,000
Third Place: $2,500
Fourth Place: $1,500
Fifth Place: $1,000
Sixth Place: $500
Seventh Place: $100
Eighth Place: $50

This years contest will be held 4th July 2011 at 17:00 in Coney Island New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan%27s_Hot_Dog_Eating_Contest
http://nathansfamous.com/