Every Fourth of July, thousands descend on the Coney Island boardwalk to watch the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.
It’s the busiest day of the year for the Brooklyn neighborhood — and a boon to its businesses.
For more than a century, New Yorkers have flocked to Coney Island for its holiday festivities, which culminate in a traditional fireworks display. There’s nearly three miles of beaches along the ocean as well as an amusement park that includes the nearly century-old Cyclone roller coaster, electric go-karts and arcades; minor-league baseball games; museums; and an aquarium.
This year’s hot dog eating contest is expected to have an even bigger attendance than previous years, as 16-time champion Joey Chestnut returns after being banned in 2024. The competition once attracted over 40,000 in-person spectators and was broadcasted to nearly 2 million viewers on ESPN, according to Nathan’s Famous.
For these businesses, the sharp uptick in foot traffic can be a lifeline. Coney Island’s growth was slammed by damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and then from the pandemic shutdowns in 2020.
Steve Cohen, vice president of the minor league baseball team the Brooklyn Cyclones and chairman of the community group Alliance for Coney Island, said 2020 and 2021 were difficult years for his business due to restrictions on groups. But now “we’re definitely seeing a rebound.”
And July 4th, just a week or two after most local schools let out for the summer, kicks off Coney Island’s peak season for business. He estimated Coney Island has about twice as many patrons on the holiday compared to any other day of the summer.
Gledys Ramirez, a manager at Vicky’s Food & Treats, said it would be “amazing” if more customers stopped by for milkshakes, fried Oreos and other snacks at her stand. She expressed “extreme worries” about business and added that while there have been longer lines recently, the heat waves on the East Coast have put a strain on foot traffic.
Closer to Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand is Ruby’s Bar & Grill, a family-run business that opened in the 1970s — the oldest bar and grill on the boardwalk, according to its website. The bar’s general manager, Matthew Sarrel, expects “an excessive amount of people” on Friday as long as the weather is good.
“It’s the busiest day in Coney Island every year,” Sarrel said. “It’s always been a good day historically. Any time you have a major televised event in the area, it brings a lot of recognition.”
Hints of economic revitalization take place throughout the strip. Childs Restaurant, one of the first national dining chains in North America, was restored and reopened, and the New York Aquarium fully reopened in 2022.
While jobs in sectors such as health care more than doubled from 2013 to 2023 in Coney Island, jobs in leisure and hospitality dipped, according to a 2024 report from the office of the New York State comptroller. But the number of businesses in Coney Island and Brighton Beach rose almost 30% in that same time period, most of them with fewer than five employees.
Events like Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest can bring attention to tourist destinations and small towns, providing a boon for local businesses. For example, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office estimated that more than 30,000 visitors went to Punxsutawney, which has a population of about 6,000, for Groundhog Day in 2024.
In an industry dependent on sun, warm water and the perfect ocean breeze, good weather days are crucial for traffic. Luckily, Cohen said this Friday has a perfect weather forecast so far.
“I think you’re going to see people coming out in droves on July 4th. You know, Joey Chestnut is back in the hot dog eating competition and (the Cyclones) have a game that night,” Cohen said. “I’m anticipating a huge, huge, massive turnout.”
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