Andrew K.
Yelp
I'm writing this because I'm honestly still upset about what I witnessed at the Fishtales 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest this year. I've only watched this contest twice, last year and this year and I can't believe how different the experiences was.
Last year was fantastic. It felt fair, organized, and exciting. We all cheered the winner on, and even those who didn't win seemed to have a good time because the whole event ran smoothly. It was the kind of fun, community moment you hope for on the 4th of July.
But this year was the complete opposite. From the very start, the contest felt messy and disorganized. There was confusion about how many hot dogs were supposed to be served at once, who was in charge of refilling trays, and how the timing was being managed. But the worst and honestly the most upsetting part was what happened to my friend, Samuel.
In the middle of the contest, Samuel went 35 full seconds without any hot dogs in front of him. That's not an exaggeration. If you look back at the footage on the livestream, at the 18:08 mark, you can actually hear the announcer say, "We need more hot dogs over here," referring to Samuel. But he didn't actually get those hot dogs until the 18:43 mark. It also wasn't even just samuel, there was many other contestants standing there helpless waiting for hotdogs to be placed infront of them while the time was ticking down.
Not to mention, it wasn't even a staff member who ran the hot dogs over to him. It was my sister, Kaitlyn, who had to sprint to bring Samuel his tray. That's how poorly run this was.
It was so embarrassing and unfair to watch. Everyone there noticed, and it completely took the fun out of the event. How does that even happen at a contest you've hosted for years?
I'm not trying to be mean, but I'm genuinely disappointed. People put their all into competing, and the organizers need to do better. Ocean City deserves a contest that's fun and fair for everyone.
This is supposed to be a joyful, community event where people gather to celebrate, cheer on the contestants, and enjoy themselves. Instead, it left a lot of us feeling frustrated and embarrassed for how poorly things were handled. It's not just about who wins or losesit's about making sure the contest is fair for everyone and that spectators feel like they're part of something special.
Fishtales is a beloved spot in Ocean City, and that's exactly why this hurts so much. What happened this year was unacceptable. If you're going to host a competitive event especially one that draws a crowd and means something to the people involved then you have a responsibility to run it fairly and professionally. No one should ever be left standing there, helpless, for 35 seconds with nothing to compete with while the clock continues to run. That's not a minor mistake. That's a failure of planning, staffing, and respect.
It wasn't just a missed tray of hot dogs it was a missed opportunity for someone who trained, showed up, and gave it their all. And even worse, it was a missed opportunity for the community to rally around a contest that was supposed to bring joy, not confusion and frustration. People remember these moments. They carry them home. They talk about them. They feel them. And this year, instead of leaving with laughter and celebration, we walked away disappointed, embarrassed, and honestly, heartbroken for someone who deserved so much more.
Fishtales can do better. Ocean City deserves better. If this contest is going to continue, it needs a complete reset because what happened on that stage wasn't just unfair. It was a disservice to the people who made the effort to compete and the families and friends who came to cheer them on. Next year must be different. Fishtales needs to step up, take responsibility, and make sure something like this never happens again, to anyone.
