London Wing Fest is back with 500,000 chicken wings to be eaten and a 15 million Scoville hot sauce challenge
24th to the 26th of July with 50 traders, live music and the world’s official chicken wing awards
If Glastonbury isn't quite your thing and you'd rather spend a festival weekend stuffing your face with hot-sauce covered poultry than standing in a muddy field, London Wing Fest has you covered.
Returning to the London Stadium from the 24th to the 26th of July, the self-proclaimed world's largest chicken wing festival is gearing up for its biggest event yet. More than 500,000 wings will be served across the three-day celebration, with 50 traders descending on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to compete for some of the most coveted awards in wing culture.
Now in its 12th year, Wing Fest has evolved from a niche food event into one of London's most unusual summer festivals. At its heart are the World Chicken Wing Awards, where restaurants, street food vendors and BBQ teams battle for titles including Best Buffalo Wing, Best BBQ Wing and Best Wild Wing.
Among those competing this year are returning Wing Fest favourites Poor Boys and Mexican Seoul, alongside newcomers Mollis, the Nottingham restaurant from the Michelin-starred team behind Alchemilla. They'll be joined by established names including FOWL, Peck Peck, Gurt Wings and El Pollote.
Away from the food, organisers have packed the schedule with live music, DJs, axe throwing, fairground rides, arcade games and bourbon masterclasses. The Beavertown Stage will host everything from garage and drum and bass to blues, jazz and rock, while the Chicken Shed Stage will feature live-fire cooking demonstrations and BBQ masterclasses.
For anyone who enjoys making questionable life decisions in public, the infamous Lava Wing Challenge is also returning. This year's version features what organisers claim is the hottest sauce in Wing Fest history, measuring more than 15 million Scoville units.
Participants who survive the ordeal will be competing for a £500 cash prize, although the real reward is probably keeping their taste buds intact.
Meanwhile, the festival's legendary wing-eating competition will once again see competitors attempt to consume eye-watering numbers of wings in the shortest possible time, all in pursuit of wing-eating glory.
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33. Standard and Early Entry tickets include access to all live entertainment, competitions, rides and games, along with a Wing Fest trucker hat. VIP guests will also get access to exclusive food offerings from Wingmans and Big Kid Ice Cream that won't be available elsewhere on site.
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