July 4, 2009 Chestnut takes Nathan's Famous crown Play video

(NECN/WABC: Coney Island, N.Y.) - Tens of thousands of people crowded Coney Island on Independence Day for food, fun and what else -- Nathan's hot dogs.

It i as American as it gets, having a hot dog on the Fourth of July. And what better way to get a little taste of New York than with a Nathan's hot dog grilled to perfection.

Nathan's dogs, which cost 5 cents a piece in 1916, now go for $3.15 -- and worth every penny, they say.

How about two at a time? Still have your appetite?

It's the annual Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, drawing a crowd in the tens of thousands on Saturday.

25-year-old Joey Chestnut became the winner for the third straight year, swallowing 68 hot dogs in ten minutes.

That is nine more than last year.

If hot dogs are not your thing, how bout the rides for a little excitement? And there's always the beach.

WABC's Emily Smith reports.

Contest video courtesy of ESPN