Wingapalooza contest a saucy affair

• Wingapalooza 2012

Daily Republic file photo Tim Moon and Molly Goldsmith each choose another wing to chow down on during the 2012 Wingapalooza in Mitchell. Moon emerged as champion after a two-minute eating contest with 17 wings downed.

Talk about it

Seven people took center stage Saturday as they chowed down on chicken wings at the Masonic Lodge in Mitchell.

Mitchell Main Street & Beyond and Time at the Table’s first Wingapalooza drew in 200 people. At 3 p.m., a large crowd squeezed together around the small table cheering on their favorites, who all had sauce smeared across their faces, hands and even arms when it was over.

With a pan of wings in the middle of the table and two minutes on the clock, the contestants dove toward the pan, tossing bones into disposable cartons to be counted afterward. One minute and 45 seconds into the contest, the pan was empty and the bones were counted.

Tim Moon, of Mitchell, took first place with 17 wings to receive $50 in Mitchell Bucks.

“I’ll probably spend it downtown,” Moon said.

He said he entered the contest to defeat Noah Arens, who sat directly across from him.

Moon’s friend, Eric Zilla, said he made Moon enter as his “ringer” because they both knew Moon would win.

“I’ve known him forever,” Zilla said of Moon. “He can eat like a hulk. I just wish there had been more wings on the platter.”

More than 200 people supported this first event. Exact numbers and dollar figures were not available by press time.

Molly Goldsmith, Mitchell Main Street & Beyond director, said the event went well and everyone seemed to have a good time.

“We’re already planning on having a second annual Wingapalooza,” she said. “We’ll probably keep it on Super Bowl weekend.”

Goldsmith said organizers are open to any suggestions for changes or improvements for Wingapalooza in 2013.

The six vendors who entered Wingapalooza also vied for prizes Saturday.

Attendees chose the following winners:

* People’s Choice — Moonlight Bar;

* Hottest Wings — American Garage Door;

* Best Decorations — Mueller Lumber.

Judges chose the following winners:

* First — Moonlight Bar;

* Second — Whiskey Creek;

* Third — Mueller Lumber.

Tags: life, updates, food, local, mitchell, wingapalooza, downtown