Second Round Of Enrico's Spaghetti Eating Contest To Be Held Thursday

FRANKFORT, IL — A plate of spaghetti, three minutes to devour as much as is humanly possible and a shot at $1,000. That's amore. And that's what's on the line for contestants in Frankfort-based Enrico's Italian Dinning's spaghetti eating contest.

Back for the second year in a row, the spaghetti eating competition continues at 6:30 p.m. Thursday with the second of three rounds of competition at CD&ME, 23320 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort. The third and final round to determine who will move on to the championship is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4, also at CD&ME.

The serving of spaghetti is 1 pound before cooking. Be forewarned, though, as cooking the pasta will increase the weight to about 3 pounds. That's a whole lotta' pasta.

In the event none of the contestants finish the entire plate in the 3 minutes allowed, winners will be declared by weighing the leftover spaghetti. Whoever finishes the most wins.

The 1st-, 2nd and 3rd-place winners from each of the three previous rounds will face off Aug. 11 for the championship, where Kyle "The Hammer" Hanner will try to defend his 2021 title. The grand champion — the Prince or Princess of Pasta, the Sultan of Spaghetti, the Devourer of Dishes — will walk away with a full belly and a full wallet with the $1,000 grand prize, the championship trophy, a bottle of champagne and two jars of Enrico's pasta sauce.

Regardless of how much a contestant can or cannot stomach in the competition, all participants will walk away with a T-shirt and a gift bag with two of Enrico's pasta sauces to take home. The 1st-place winner from each round will also earn a $100 gift card for Enrico's and a gift basket.

But pasta isn't the only thing on the menu during the contests. Those who wish to attend as a spectator will be treated to live music following the contest. Contestants and one guest per contestant will get free admission to the concerts. Those not competing will have to pay for admission to the concerts. Prices vary for each performance and can be purchased on the CD&ME website.

Scheduled performances include:

• Bruce in the USA, July 28
• The Brothers Gibb, Aug. 4
• Maggie Speaks, Aug. 11

Here are a few things those considering entering the spaghetti eating contest should know:

• Contestants should arrive at 6 p.m. to go over the rules and get situated.
• All competitors and guests must be ages 21 and over.
• The maximum number of competitors each evening will be 12.
• Sign up is first come, first served. If you are selected, you will receive an email confirmation within a few days.
• Competing is free of charge and winners will be rewarded.
• Contestants will be provided utensils, which they may use or disregard depending on each individual's strategy.
• Competition will be fierce, as this editor personally found out during the second round of last year's contest. (You can read all about that experience by following this link.)

For more information, or to add your name to the list of competitors, visit Enrico's Italian Dinning's website.

Mangia!