July 4th is America's Independence Day and is celebrated in a variety of ways with various traditions including fireworks mass consumption of hot dogs. New York's Coney island is the stage and its Joey Chestnut vs. Takeru Kobayashi with a few fireworks and a Competitive Eating festival for the world's best.

Joey Chestnut (Shown here during last year's competetion) Beats Takeru Kobayashi (Image: WENN)

The NY Daily News gives details of the weigh in - "The two men couldn't look more different. The barrel-chested Chestnut weighed in at 218 pounds and fought back a grin as the pair stood side by side for the boxing-style weigh-in. Kobayashi is a wiry 132 pounds and kept an angry poker face as he glared up at Chestnut."


Update - It's over and a fitting Independence day victory for Joey. "Chestnut, baby! USA, USA all the way," said one fan, according to NY1. The channel has this wrap on the days of competitive eating.

"Joey Chestnut has earned his third mustard belt, after inhaling 68 frankfurters in 10 minutes...(setting) a new world record for the July 4th tradition and defeated six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi, who came in second with eating 64 hot dogs."