Competitive eater aficionados and fans of culinary speed trials, mark your calendars. The 20th annual Padrino Foods World Tamale Eating Championship is officially set to bring its high-stakes, tortilla-wrapped drama to Lewisville Western Days on September 28 at 1 p.m. Presented by Market Street, the event promises to once again turn the steps of Lewisville City Hall into an arena of gastronomical gladiators vying for the top spot. According to the City of Lewisville, Texas, registration is now open exclusively online via the Major League Eating website, with no option to sign up in the flesh come the day of reckoning.
The reigning champ, Geoff Esper, is known not only for his quick wrist at Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest—taking home the crown this year—but also for absolutely obliterating the competition at last year's tamale throwdown, with a staggering 80 tamales downed in a mere 10 minutes. Esper holds the world record in tamale consumption, setting a stomach-churning benchmark of 95 tamales in the same amount of time back in 2019, as per the City of Lewisville, Texas.
This championship, sanctioned by Major League Eating (MLE), is but one stop in a nationwide journey where more than 3,000 veteran and rookie competitors race against the clock—and each other—to claim glory in over 70 annual events. The MLE oversees these stomach-centric sports, ensuring the integrity and thrill of each contest remain at the highest levels of esophageal ambition.
Lewisville Western Days is set to offer more than just a showcase of competitive eating. The family-friendly festival, occurring on September 27 and 28, will not only feature the tamale eating championship but also an eclectic mix of live entertainment across five stages, an expanded Western Village sponsored by Frost Bank, Indigenous ACE Dance Troupe performances, and a Kid Kountry Playground. The festivities commence at 4 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday, with no charge for admission before 6 p.m. After that magic hour, event-goers will need to shell out $15 to join the high-noon revelry, according to the City of Lewisville, Texas.
