Overview Windy City Hot Dog Fest is a three-day street festival at Six Corners in Chicago's Portage Park where hot dog stands and food trucks from around Chicagoland compete for the crowd's vote: people text in their pick for best hot dog, and the winner is named Sunday afternoon on the main stage. The fifth edition, in 2026, billed itself as the chance to decide once and for all whether ketchup belongs on a hot dog. Special Events Management produces it with the Six Corners Chamber of Commerce. SEM says nearly 500,000 people run or walk in its races each year and another 1.5 million visit its art and street festivals. On site The festival sets up at 4000 North Milwaukee Avenue and runs Friday evening, then noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The 2026 field included Byron's Hot Dogs, Fatso's Last Stand, J's Bacon Hot Dogs, Leona's and the Sausage Fest Food Truck, and Bust Outs took People's Choice. Saturday afternoon has a hot dog eating contest: five people, five minutes, a trophy. Sunday at noon is the Top Dog Parade, for people's own dogs, lined up at the main stage. Arts and crafts vendors and a family activity zone fill out the street. Talent and Influencers The main stage runs bands until 10 at night. The 2026 bill included TNT, an AC/DC tribute, Hairbangers Ball, Journey 2 Jovi, Kashmir, Spin Lizzy and Mariachi Los Palmeros. A second, community stage carried the Chicago Ballet Center, A Short Leap Theater Company and the ChickenFat Orchestra. Brand presence Vienna Beef, Garrett Popcorn and Maplewood Brewing were among the 2026 sponsors. Partnerships are sold at three levels.