Orchard Park, NY (WBEN) Wingfest is back.
Get your blue cheese ready as the wings are back. Wingfest returns at a new home: Highmark Stadium. Twenty-one restaurants will offer 80 different sauces.
The Wing King Drew Cerza says he's excited about the return. "We have 21 restaurants which says a lot about the wing industry across the country. With all the labor issues, chicken wing shortages and all the other challenges, they have survived this pandemic. For them to come to Buffalo and the Super Bowl of chicken wings says a lot, and the story is about the restaurants," says Cerza. They're coming from Ohio, Wyoming, and elsewhere across the country, joined by local eateries.
Admission is $20 each, with free parking at Highmark Stadium. Cerza says costs have gone up. "Everything's doubled in price, wings, labor, everything," explains Cerza. "We were really low for years. We never raised the admission of $5 in 20 years. We never raised the price of wings in 20 years." This year, wings will be $1.25 each, but he says that's the equivalent of paying $11.50 plus tax for a single order of wings, a deal compared to what restaurants are asking.
Cerza says the popular contests will also be back. "The granddaddy of them all is the US Chicken Wing Eating Championshjp, featuring Joey Chestnut." says Cerza. "We have a baby wing contest, and a college chicken wing eating championship. We also have bobbing for wings in a kiddie pool."
A local contender in the national showdownon Sunday is Megabyte Ronnie, who admits the field is stacked. "I'm the 7th or 8th highest ranked person out there. Joey Chestnut is the GOAT, the most dominant person in a sport. It's hard to knock down Joey. If I have my very, very, very best day and he has his very, very, very worst day, I have a shot," says Ronnie.
Ronnie says the 12 minute time limit separates this event from other competitive eating events. "Most of our contests are 10 minutes or under. This one is about stamina and being able to go strong in the last couple of minutes. It's also about technique and the ability to strip the meat off the bone," notes Ronnie who in a competitive setting prefers drums over flats.
The event takes place Saturday from noon to 9pm and Sunday from noon to 7pm.
