March 28, 2024

Thanks with Franks is one week away

Young Professionals host 12th annual event downtown

During the early years of the “Thanks with Franks” event, efforts were made to help the annual thank-you from area businesses grow.

In the 2016, organizers of the 12th annual Thanks With Franks are simply trying to manage what has become a tremendously popular event.

Thanks With Franks, set for 6 p.m. on Sept. 8 on the Jasper County Courthouse lawn, offers free hot dogs to the public as a customer appreciation gesture from local businesses, while supplies last. Young Professionals of Jasper County President Svitlana Miller, whose organization puts on the event, said there is so much community interest, changes needed to be made to the competitive event.

“We’re going to try to keep the number of teams under 50,” Miller said. “It’s a great event for businesses to show appreciation, and for the community to do something together.”

There were about 5,700 hot dogs handed out at the 2005 event, which had between 12 and 15 teams. Last year, there were more than 10,000 hot dogs served by 43 teams, with supplies at most booths gone in about an hour.

In 2016, there could be nearly 14,000 hot dogs given away.

The YPJC has raised the entry fee to $100 per team, which is a $25 increase from 2015. However, in return, each team’s allotment of hot dogs and buns will go from 200 to 280.

“We want to make the event last a little longer, and we want to give people more of a chance to vote for their favorite dog,” Miller said. “But, because there is judging involved, it’s really important no team starts serving food until 6 p.m.”

The competitive elements include a people’s choice “Top Dog” award given annually to the top team, as chosen through the public voting at the event. The 2015 winning team — which earned a free entry in the 2016 Thanks With Franks as a reward — was from Park Centre, using cream cheese, bacon, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and hash browns as its unique toppings.

The Park Centre victory was somewhat of an upset, as Miller’s Buena Vista University-Newton Campus team had won the title a few years in a row. BVU is not competing this year, as Miller is coordinating the event on behalf of the Young Professionals.

“It was very sad for me, personally,” Miller said, laughing, about Buena Vista’s title run coming to an end. “But it was time for a break anyway. It’s a lot of work.”

There will also be an individual hot-dog eating contest. Last year’s winner was Kenny Landgrebe.

Some popular past hot dog creations have been an Elvis Dog with peanut butter and bananas, a pizza dog, and a zombie-themed dog. The voting will take place at a location near the drink/concession stand.

The concession stand is typically staffed by volunteers from a local school or other nonprofit organization, which keeps the proceeds once the cost of supplies is covered. Local businesses also donate supplies for the event.

A live band — JJ Express — will perform during the event, with Miller or other YPJC representatives making announcements using the band’s sound system.

There will also be activities set up away from the hot dog serving booths. For example, the Newton Police Department and Newton Fire Department will each have a few pieces of equipment on the square for attendees to examine, and police and fire staff will be on hand to meet and greet folks as they walk around the event. The Centre for Arts and Artist, Jasper County Conservation and Newton Wellness Coalition will also host activities.

Last year, the start time was moved back one hour — to 6 p.m. — which seemed to help draw in more people to what had already been a popular event.

The Young Professionals have other activities planned in the coming months, but Thanks With Franks is one its best-known community events of each year.

“We always hope for great weather for Thanks With Franks,” Miller said “And sometimes, we get it.”

Questions about the event can be emailed to youngprofessionalsjc@gmail.com or thankswithfranks@gmail.com.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com