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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Drew Cerza, Festival Founder, (716)
479-6545
Mark Williamson, City of Akron, (330) 375-2538
America’s
Best Hamburgers are in Northeast Ohio!
Third Annual National Hamburger Festival Kicks-Off
July 19 and 20 In Downtown Akron At Lock 3 Park
New Entry in Non-Meat Category!
AKRON,
Ohio (July 1, 2008) – Akron invites the nation to come back
for the Third Annual National Hamburger Festival.
After drawing more than 20,000 people last year, the
fun, food and friendly competition will resume at Lock 3 Park
on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20, complete with live
music and quirky burger-themed games.
Festival proceeds will once again benefit the Akron Children’s
Hospital. Festival hours are Saturday, July 19 from noon to
10:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 20 from noon to 7 p.m. Tickets will
be sold at the gate for $5.00 per person.
Admission is free for children under 48-inches tall.
Food and beverages will be sold separately.
Fueled
by controversy among four different cities over who invented
the hamburger, a 45-minute mock trial, coined the “Hamburger
Hearings,” was held the first year of the festival and resulted
in a hung jury. A subsequent online vote named Seymour, Wisconsin,
as the hamburger’s home.
Still,
the hunger for char-grilled glory pervades far beyond the inventors’
rivalry. Restaurants
will vie for bragging rights in five different categories of
the National Burger Cook-Off as 18 eateries will serve over
50 different varieties of burgers.
Check out www.hamburgerfestival.com
for a complete listing of the participating restaurants.
This
year, seven new eateries will be joining the festival. The VegiTerranean
will bring their famous non-meat burgers and Crave will be serving
up gourmet burgers. White Castle known for its famous Slyders
has joined the party as has Quaker Steak and Lube now located
in Canton. Eat ‘N Park Restaurants, and local Akron favorite,
Ido Bar and Grill will also be on hand. Last year’s big winners
Louie’s Bar & Grille (festival favorite) and Menches Brothers
(best overall burgers) will be back to defend their titles.
The
competitive spirit will continue with the Miss Hamburger Pageant,
the Baby Burger Contest and the Ohio Burger Cook-Off for backyard
grillers.
A
one-of-a-kind National Hamburger Festival Jughead® comic book
(part of the Archie Comic Book Series) will be available with
a donation to the Akron Children’s Hospital.
The
festival will feature live music all weekend long. On Saturday afternoon “Red House” will entertain the festival
crowd with classic rock and the sounds of Motown. . Lock 3 Park
will turn into a big party atmosphere on Saturday night with
“Stone Pony Band” performing the music of Bruce Springsteen
and Southside Johnny. On Sunday, “Off the Record” will bring its classic rock, Motown
and swing music to Lock 3 Park from 2:00 to 6 p.m.
Things
will really get cooking as three, goggle-adorned enthusiasts
go “Bobbing for Burgers,” a hit from last year in which burger
fans seek foam hamburger patties in a kiddy pool filled with
ketchup. The Big
Boy Burger Eating Championship will also be held again.
Last year’s winner, Akron competitive eating legend David
“Coondog” O’Karma, will return for a third year to defend his
title and will challenge all eaters to a hamburger eat-off!
“We
are thrilled to have the National Hamburger Festival return
to Akron for its third year,” said Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic.
“The outcome of the Hamburger Hearings’ notwithstanding,
we are the City of Invention, and that includes the invention
of the hamburger. Come
to Akron. Sample this delicious event AND our city.”
In
addition to the more than 50 different hamburger varieties from
18 eateries, there will be other Akron-favorite foods,
with the restaurants set up on Main Street adjacent to Lock
3 Park. Kids will
have plenty to do, as well, with inflatable rides and even a
Kid Zone that will include arts and crafts.
“Akron
is the perfect place for this great national festival,” said
Drew Cerza, founder of the event and president/CEO of the RMI
Promotion Group of New York.
He cited Akron’s Americanism and housing of the National
Inventor’s Hall of Fame, branding the city the “Hamburger Capital
of the World.”
National
Hamburger Festival Main Stage Schedule:
Saturday,
July 19, 2008, noon – 10:30 p.m.
Live
Music
2:00 – 6:00
p.m.
“Red House”
6:30 – 10:30 p.m.
“Stone Pony Band”
Contests
3:00 p.m.
Bobbing
for Burgers
4:30 p.m.
Restaurant Hamburger Cook-Off
6:00 p.m.
Ohio
Hamburger Eating Championships
7:30 p.m.
Miss Hamburger Festival Contest
Sunday,
July 20, 2008, noon – 7 p.m.
Live
Music
2:00
– 6 p.m.
“Off the Record”
Contests
1
p.m.
Baby Burger Contest
3 p.m.
Best Traditional Hamburger Cook-Off
4 p.m.
Best Creative Hamburger Cook-Off
Additional
information is available at www.hamburgerfestival.com.
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