Nearly 1,500 lawmakers, congressional staff, meat industry representatives and members of the media filled the Rayburn House Office Building Courtyard on Capitol Hill to celebrate July as National Hot Dog Month at the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) Annual Hot Dog Lunch.

“The Hot Dog Lunch has been an annual tradition for more than 40 years. This longstanding event celebrates America’s love of hot dogs—a love that crosses party lines,” said NAMI President and CEO Barry Carpenter. “The lunch is one of the most popular and anticipated events on Capitol Hill, as guests join us to celebrate this iconic American food in the company of major league baseball greats.”

Guests enjoyed more than 3,500 hot dogs, corn dogs, brats and other sausages from popular hot dog manufacturers including Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc.; Dietz & Watson, Inc.; Hofmann Sausage Company, LLC; Hormel Foods Corporation; Land O’Frost, Inc.; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; and Tyson Foods, Inc. All uncooked or pre-packaged leftover food will be donated to Carpenter’s Shelter, a local food bank.

The 2015 Hot Dog Lunch is co-hosted by Reps. Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Collin Peterson (D-MN). The event is sponsored by the American Bakers Association, American Beverage Association, Diageo, Hormel Foods Corporation, International Bottled Water Association and Snack Food Association.

Baseball Greats in Attendance

Hot dogs and baseball are an American tradition and each year the Hot Dog Lunch pays tribute to this one-of-a-kind relationship.

Attending this year’s lunch to greet fans, sign autographs and enjoy some hot dogs were:

Tony Perez, a former first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds and seven-time All-Star who went on to win three World Series championship titles and earned a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000. Perez also managed the World Team during the 2015 All-Star Game.

Bill Buckner, a former first baseman who played for the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, California Angels and Kansas City Royals. He was an All-Star and 1980 National League batting champion.

Mookie Wilson, who played outfield for the New York Mets, was a key part of the 1986 World Series champion team and is a member of the Mets Hall of Fame.

NHDSC Announces Hot Dog Bumper Sticker Contest Winner

As part of its celebration of National Hot Dog Month, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) gave hot dog fans a chance to choose their favorite bumper sticker slogan. NHDSC received more than 100 submissions and fans voted for their favorite finalists on the NHDSC Facebook page.

Julie Burke, of Livonia, Michigan, can relish in victory as her “What’s in YOUR Bun?” slogan emerged as the top choice among hot dog fans. “Don’t Be a Hot Dog, Just Eat One,” created by George Weiser, of Livonia, Michigan, and “I Brake for Hot Dogs,” sent in by Ronnie Kryjak, of Simsbury, Connecticut, earned the second and third place spots, respectively.

Burke will receive a $100 gift card for her favorite hot dogs plus a Curl-A-Dog spiral hot dog slicer, while Weiser will win a $50 gift card for the hot dogs of his choice. All three winners will get a NHDSC t-shirt and the official “What’s in YOUR Bun?” bumper sticker.

For more information about hot dogs and sausages, visit NHDSC's website at http://www.hot-dog.org/ and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NHDSC. For hot dog videos including proper hot dog etiquette, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/hotdogcouncil.

Source: NAMI