There’s a giant hot dog in the middle of Times Square! Hot Dog in the City is a giant public arts work that will be on display through June 13. It is 65 feet long and unofficially the largest hot dog in the world!
Frankfurters, wieners, Coneys, red hots! Dynamic artist duo Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw take street meat to new heights with a sculpture of the iconic New York City style hot dog. Complete with hydraulics and bursts of confetti, this spectacular animatronic installation sited in the heart of Times Square will also be an anchor for serious talks, playful performances, and political debate. At 65 feet long, Hot Dog in the City will top the record for World’s Largest Hot Dog Sculpture.
PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
Tuesday, April 30 – Thursday, June 13 | 12pm
Daily Confetti Celebrations
Controlled by hydraulic mechanisms, the hot dog will ascend daily and shower visitors below with a humble burst of confetti. Staged at high noon, these confetti festivities playfully reference quintessential American celebrations — from New Year’s Eve and hometown parades, to political rallies and gender reveal parties — as well as the hyper-masculinity and showmanship often associated with American culture and patriotism.
Friday, May 3 | 6–8pm
Condiment Wars: A Wrestling Match featuring EWA and Choke Hole
Free, RSVP Encouraged
Come experience athletic theater and the art of aggression in the most absurd fashion — a wrestling extravaganza at the foot of the Hot Dog! The event begins with EWA wrestling group pitting toppings against toppings in the ultimate tongue-in-cheek smackdown. Headlining the pageantry are the drag wrestling queens of Choke Hole, who take down masculinity, corporate America, and capitalism in their signature fever-pitch matches — a perfect match for Times Square.
Friday, May 10 | 5–7pm
The Hottest Dog Show: A Canine Beauty Pageant with AKC Museum of the Dog
Free, RSVP Encouraged
Join us for the crowning of New York City’s most captivating canine at The Hottest Dog Show, a four-legged beauty pageant co-presented with the AKC Museum of the Dog. With discerning judges awarding prizes in the swimwear, talent, and congeniality categories, this completely unofficial preamble to the Westminster Dog Show unleashes the constructs of traditional Miss America Pageants to celebrate everyone’s favorite insta-famous pooches.
Friday, May 17 | 12–1pm
Hot Dog Eating Contest with Nathan’s Hot Dogs & Major League Eating
Free, RSVP Encouraged
A time-honored tradition rewarding the most skillful engorgement, Nathan's Famous and Major League Eating will host a real deal hot dog eating contest under the shadow of the most imposing frank of all, Hot Dog in the City. Featuring both reputable competitors and amateur eaters alike, the top male and female finishers from the Times Square-based qualifying event will compete at the ESPN-televised 2024 Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island on July 4th.
According to Nathan’s Famous, the origin story of this celebrated competition is rooted in a performance of patriotism — supposedly on July 4th in 1916, four European immigrants were arguing about who amongst them is more American, and decided to settle it with a hot dog eating contest. Regardless of its true roots, the annual Coney Island event has sparked a bona fide endurance sport and storied American spectacle. Join us to witness champion chewers take on the seemingly impossible with maximum bravado in Times Square.
Sunday, June 9 | 12–5pm
To Be Frank: A Hot Dog Summit with The Town Hall
The Town Hall, 123 W 43rd St
Ticket Required
Enjoy a day of frank conversation, hearty debate, and an impressive lineup of panels and performance organized by dynamic artist duo Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw for their public art commission Hot Dog in the City. Food historians, competitive eaters, street vendors, sausage makers, authors, activists, and artists draw unexpected parallels between the history of the hot dog and capitalism, consumption, and politics of the American dream.
Thursday, June 13 | 12pm
Closing Ceremony & Election Results
Which condiment is, once and for all, the superior topping? When the people’s votes are counted, will it come down to ketchup vs. mustard, or will an underdog like onions take the crown? As the programmatic conclusion to a well-rounded buffet of hot dog worship, the election results will be released in dramatic fashion to officially close out Hot Dog in the City.