SunFest Pairings

You’ve heard the names Joey Chesnut and Kobayashi for years. Their world series is pounding down hot dogs in the bottom of the BK on July 4th for Nathan’s 2016 Hot Dog Eating Contest. You should go watch it. It looks something like the above just live and in crazy motion. I promise you’ve never seen people eat food this fast. I’d suggest getting yourself a dog prior to the madness because after you see how they dip and slurp those poor wieners you might be of mind to skip the Nathan’s famous. Good news is, there is plenty more to do down in Coney Island pre and post eat off. Make a day. Hang old school Brooklyn style. 12 noon on July 4th in Brooklyn.

Hey Americano! You may know these as Disco Fries. Just know the best late night cheese fry and brown gravy throwdown you’ve ever had can’t hold a candle to a proper Canadian poutine. It’s all about the curds. Double that up with old town Montreal, one of the prettiest of North American city waterfronts, and you’re two goals to a hat trick. (It’s hockey country. Yes, even in the summer) That third goal can be scored in two ways. The best strip clubs north of the Dade County line (not recommended) or a post poutine cocktail crawl up Boulevard St. Laurent to the Plateau. Whatever your evening entails, be certain The Great Montréal PoutineFest will blow your taste buds into a Nova Scotian Noreaster and prime your belly for an evening of mixologist guided, gastro-debouchery. June 29th – July 3rd in Montreal.

This was bound to happen. No surprise it is happening in Brooklyn. I’d be a jerk if I pretended that I wasn’t excited but the over used term for the Insta phenom of food photography is almost as ubiquitous as the selfie. Never-the-less how do you not attend this promise of the digital food you swipe past and double tap all day being layered onto a bed that you can roll around on with your friends. Short of that dream coming true there will be ALL THINGS FOOD according to the organizers. Come to Food Porn Fest with an empty stomach and leave with an STD. Satiated, Tired and Digesting. Sat, Nov 5+6, 11am – 7:00pm in Brooklyn.

It was 20 years ago now we first sampled Kansas City, Missouri (don’t be confused with Kansas Kansas) at a little roadside joint named LC’s. From the moment one of their burnt ends hit my tongue they were on my map for life. No doubt the barbecue mecca birthed a fest that marries both the BBQ favorite beverages to one crazy slow cooked meat festival. Touting the best bourbons and beers Missouri has to offer, the Pig and Swig is three hours of afternoon, stomach debouchery. While you indulge in your destruction you’ll have some feeding music compliments of the festival and local radio stations. Need some exercise between chow downs? Lawn games will also, appropriately, be on hand. I’d imagine later in the day that just turns into a bourbon-beer fueled slapstick comedy show. Fun all around. Saturday July 30th from 3-6pm in Kansas City, Missouri.