Here's what Joey Chestnut is doing on July 4th instead of the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

As you found out recently, Joey Chestnut won’t be in the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, even though he’s technically not banned. And in the future, we’re getting Chestnut vs. Takeru Kobayashi, which will be neat.

But if you’re wondering what Chestnut will be up to on July 4, it doesn’t sound like he’ll be watching the event he’s not participating in.

Instead, he’ll be off to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where he’ll do a 5-minute hot dog eating contest against soldiers, per the Associated Press and Chestnut himself on X (formerly Twitter). And Chestnut is getting Impossible Foods — his sponsorship deal with them is what caused the Nathan’s absence in the first place — involved:

Hey @ImpossibleFoods, I'm heading to Fort Bliss in El Paso on the 4th to do what I do best, military style. While I'm crushing hot dogs do y'all wanna come with and help feed the hungry crowd? You in? 

— Joey Chestnut (@joeyjaws) June 29, 2024

@joeyjaws, Soldiers at Fort Bliss heard you might be looking for a place to eat on July 4th.  We would love to invite you to our Pop Goes the Fort July 4th Celebration to celebrate with our troops and see if you can take on some of our Soldiers in a hot dog eating contest! pic.twitter.com/vDgrNWB0l5

— Fort Bliss MWR (@blissmwr) June 25, 2024

Now you know!